LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




DDD170'=3'=]44'^ 



y^ 



c. 






^ y. \ ^ 



^ '■ ^ . '^. 






^^ './^■^^^^',/\.; 






^ .0 



'O 



s^ 




.0 









^i^' 









<^ 






^ N c 






c^. 



r\> V '^ ■^'^v 



A '.r 



'/> 







L. ^ 



■"^o^ 









.A 



0^ 



« , ' " . V 



A\^' 






/"^^ 



•^. 






-< 



CRUEL PERSECUTIONS 



OF THE 



PROTESTANTS 



IN THE 



KINGDOM OF FRANCE 



FIRST AMERICAN REPRINT 

OV THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION 

Published in London in 1707 

WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR 

JEAN CLAUDE 

BY 

PUBLISHER 



BOSTON, 
1893 



/v/v-^V 



^Pl 



JIG I 



n 



COPYRIGHT, 1893, 

BY 

NARCISSE CYR. 



THB LIBRA&T 
or CONGRESS 



VASHINOTOK 



<-^ w- 1 . 



S: 



TO THE 

REV. CHARLES CHINIQUY, 



THE 



Venerable and Eloquent Champion 

OF 

EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY, 



DURING MANY YEARS OF ARDUOUS LABORS AND FREQUENT 
PERSECUTIONS, HAS NOT ONLY EXPOSED 



THE ERRORS OF ROME, 



BUT BROUGHT THOUSANDS OF SOULS TO JESUS CHRIST. 



THIS FIRST AMERICAN REPRINT 



ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF CLAUDE'S MASTERPIECE IS 
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 



NARCISSE CYR, 



CLAUDE AND HIS MASTERPIECE. 



The author of this remarkable book, which is 
offered to the American public for the first 
time, is Jean Claude, one of the most eloquent 
French Protestant ministers, and certainly the 
ablest defender of the Reformed Faith in the 
17th century. After he was called to the 
church at Charenton — a parish which included 
the Protestants of Paris and vicinity — he be- 
came the natural champion of Protestantism in 
France, and fought valiantly against such men 
as Arnauld, Nicole and Bossuet, who was then 
the Goliath of Rome. 

Our author was born, in 1619, at Sauvetat, a 
small town near, Agen, in the Southwest of 
France. His father was a Protestant pastor, 
who attended himself to the early education 
of his son. The latter after going through the 
usual course of study, was ordained at the age 
of twenty-six, and called first to the little 
church of La Freyne. He remained there 
only one year, having been promoted to a 



VI 



more important pastorate, -that of the church 
of Sainte Affrique. After eight years of 
faithful work in that old interesting- town, 
he was invited to the church at Nimes, then, 
as now', the most important outside of Paris. 
This call was highly complimentary as well 
as very encouraging to the comparatively 
young pastor. He was then thirty-five, a 
good age to assume important and responsible 
duties. 

In the city of Nimes, Claude found more 
ample opportunities to develop his talents for 
the pulpit. A daily preaching service was held 
in the church, each of the three pastors officiat- 
ing in turn ; the children were taught carefully 
the principles of Evangelical Christianity, thor- 
oughly catechized, in the first and best sense of 
the word, as they are still by the French pas- 
tors ; moreover, the sick and feeble of the flock 
were cared for and protected from Romish 
proselytism. Such a pastorate, we can easily 
understand, involved duties which greatly taxed 
the time and strength of Claude ; yet he chose 
to add to them the voluntary work of private 
lectures to the students of the Protestant Liter- 
ary and Theological Academy in that city, 
lectures which were very much appreciated by 
these students for the ministry. 

Claude was not only an eloquent preacher 



VI 1 



and a faithful pastor, but a man of strong 
convictions and a bold defender of what he 
considered the truth. So that when a Protes- 
tant, whom the court had gained to the idea of 
a Reunion of the Protestants with the Catholics, 
appeared in a Synod of the Lower Languedoc, 
to advocate that plan, Claude opposed it with 
energy and ability. He was successful, and 
for that offence punished by a Decree of the 
Council, which forbade him to exercise the 
ministry in that Province of which Nimes was 
the capital. 

Claude immediately went to Paris to appeal 
from this arbitrary decree ; he remained there 
six months, but his efforts were unsuccessful. 
His residence in the Metropolis, however, was 
useful to him in more ways than one. He 
became better acquainted with some of his 
distinguished co-religionists, as well as with the 
enemies of the Protestant faith. He was 
doubtless invited to preach at Charenton, and 
thus the way was prepared for his call to that 
charge two or three years later. 

When Claude became convinced that there 
was no justice to be obtained from the govern- 
ment, he returned to the south of France, and 
was soon called to the important church of 
Montauban, which he served faithfully until 



Vlll 



1666, when he accepted the most responsible 
post, that of Charenton. 

Even under the reign of toleration, secured 
to them by the Edict of Nantes, the Huguenots 
were not allowed to have a place of worship in 
Paris, nor within five miles of that city. At 
first, and for many years, they were obliged to 
have their church at the little town of Ablon, 
about eight miles from the capital, a place not 
at all central for them. After many petitions 
and supplications, they were permitted to ex- 
change Ablon for Charenton, which is precisely 
five miles southeast of ~ Paris. There a place 
of worship, a Temple^ as it was called, was con- 
structed by the famous architect, DeBrosses. 
It was a plain building, but well adapted to the 
wants of the Protestants of the Metropolis and 
vicinity. Fourteen thousand persons could be 
seated in it, and the three pastors who min- 
istered to that parish, scattered over a large 
extent of country, preached in turn eloquent 
and earnest sermons to interested audiences; 
hearers who came five, ten and even fifteen 
miles to hear the Evangel of light and life, 
which the glorious Reformation had restored 
to the world. 

It was from this large, appreciative and be- 
loved flock that the eminent pastor was torn 
away, on the very day that the Edict of Revo- 



IX 



cation was registered in the Parliament of 
Paris. The Court would not grant him the 
fifteen days allowed by the Edict to all the min- 
isters, without distinction, but as soon as this 
document was published in the Metropolis, 
Claude was "commanded to leave Paris within 
four and twenty hours, and forthwith to depart 
the Kingdom. For this end they put him into 
the hands of one of the King's footmen, with 
orders not to leave him till he was out of his 
dominions." He took the coach at Paris, the 
next day, for Brussells, with his escort, who, it 
is said, was very civil to himall the way to the 
frontier, where they separated. The criminal, 
of whom France was not worthy, had evidently 
made a very favorable impression upon the 
royal servant. 

It is interesting to know that the senior pas- 
tor of Charenton, as he journeyed through 
France, received many marks of kindness, not 
only from his brethren, but even from some of 
his enemies. 

From Brussells, Claude proceeded to Hol- 
land, where many distinguished exiles had pre- 
ceded him. He met there with a warm recep- 
tion from his fellow countrymen and the 
inhabitants of that hospitable country. He was 
honored soon after his arrival with a consider- 
able pension by William, the Prince of Orange^ 



X 



a fact which shows in what high estimation 
this Huguenot pastor was held. Thus relieved 
from pecuniary anxiety, the old soldier of 
Christ who had fought valiantly all his life in 
favor of the Reformed Religion, could at last 
enjoy days of a well deserved and much needed 
rest. He was then sixty-six years of age. For 
men like our author there is little respite in 
this world, where they see so much work to be 
done. While Claude found in Holland a very 
congenial society — for that country had really 
become a great intellectual and religious center 
for the French Protestants — his heart was in 
France, with his suffering brethren, and he 
soon concluded that he could not better serve 
the cause of religious Freedom, Humanity and 
Justice, than by publishing to the Vv^orld the 
details of the cruel persecutions which had pre- 
ceded and followed the Revocation of the 
Edict of Nantes, protesting before Heaven and 
Earth against all the violences, persecutions and 
horrors perpetrated by the agents of Louis XIV, 
at the instigation of Pere La Chaise, Le Tellier 
and other Jesuits. 

'This book, written in French, which was then 
the language not only of diplomacy and of 
courts, but also that of all educated people, was 
destined to be wddely read and to awaken 
deep sympathy for the persecuted Huguenots 



XI 



while showing the persecutors in their true 
light. As well says Prof. Henry M. Baird, 
of the University of the City of New York, "it 
was the most scathing indictment which that 
generation knew of the atrocities perpetrated 
by Louis XIV., and it produced such a sensa- 
tion as did no other book. Louis himself 
winced under the lash, and desired to destroy 
every copy of the book he could lay hand 
upon. It is no wonder that he persuaded the 
weak king of England to cause it to be burned 
by the public hangman of the city of London. 
To us this is a recommendation." 

It is worthy of notice that the spies of the 
French monarch had discovered that a transla- 
tion of this book into English was being made 
and would soon be published. The French 
embassador in London hastened to inform 
James II of the fact, and denounced the work 
as a most abominable production, not only full 
of slanders against his royal master, but also 
of republican and revolutionary ideas ! The 
king of England showed great readiness to 
please his brother monarch, and immediately 
ordered the book to be suppressed and the 
printer punished. All the copies of the trans- 
lation that could be found, were immediately 
seized and burnt publicly, by the hangman, in 
the court of the Royal Exchange of the English 



Xll 



capital ! As for the publisher, although the 
work bore no name, he was soon discovered by 
the spies of Rome, imprisoned and financially 
ruined. The translator was also severely pun- 
ished. And yet these two men had omitted 
the most forcible passages of Claude's master- 
piece, in fact nearly a third of the work, so as to 
evade prosecution from the government. What 
would have been their fate, had they published 
the book as it was in 1707 and now with its 
strong but well merited denunciations of the 
most outrageous persecutions that Christians 
ever suffered, with its mighty protests against 
the horrors perpetrated in the name- of religion, 
and v/ith its most touching appeals to the con- 
science of Europe, and to the entire world? 

Thank God, the government which burnt 
Claude's book, disappeared two years later, and 
a new era dawned for England when William 
of Orange landed on the British Isle, accompan- 
ied by his Huguenot regiments, his best and 
most heroic soldiers. 

Claude, alas, was not privileged to hail that 
glorious day, but he lived long enough to see 
of the fruits of his last labors in behalf of his 
persecuted brethren, and his end was peace and 
joy. Having been called to deliver the sermon 
on Christmas, 1666, he preached with his 
ordinary unction. The Princess of Orange was 



Xlil 



present and enjoyed the discourse as usual. 
The preacher was apparently well, but that 
very day was taken ill and died on the 13th of 
January following. Not much is known of his 
illness, but enough to warrant the statement 
that he died a most edifying death, sustained 
by that Faith, " which is the substance of things 
hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." 

Claude, by giving the details of the cruel 
persecutions suffered by the Prench Protes- 
tants at the close of the 17th century, has left 
to the world a legacy, whose value can hardly 
be overestimated. His graphic account has 
stirred the hearts of thousands in Europe and 
will have the same effect in America. The 
reprint of this book has been greatly encouraged 
by a number of our representative men in this 
country who have become acquainted with its 
contents. It comes opportunely with its les- 
sons and warnings at the present time. The 
learned Prof. Coussirat, of the Presbyterian 
College of Montreal, a descendant of the 
Huguenots, did not exaggerate the importance 
of the present reprint when he wrote to the 
undersigned : " You are doing a good work in 
showing free American citizens what they may 
expect, should the Catholic church ever obtain 
supremacy in the United States." He further 
called attention to a fact, too much overlooked 



XIV 



in this country, saying : " It is certain that 
Rome has never repudiated the acts of her 
agents, nor has she ever given up her pre- 
tended right to coerce those whom she stig- 
matizes as heretics. God grant that Claude's 
Flamtes des Protestants may be a warning to 
Americans ! " 

Narcisse Cyr, 



A 



the COMPLAINTS, 

AND 

el PERSECUTIONS 

OF THE 



I N T H £ 

KINGDOM of FRANCE. 




I O N D O N, 
Printed by W. REDMAYNE. 1707. 



^ 



TO THE 
MOST REVEREND 

FATHER IN GOD, 

His Grace the Lord Archbishop 

OF 

CANTERBURY, 

And the Right Reverend Father 
in God the Lord Bishop 

OF 
LONDON. 

MY LORDS, 

I have newly caused to be translated 
into English the Book intituled, The Com- 
plaints OF THE Protestants in the 
Kingdom of France with this design, to 



4 The Epistle Dedicatory. 

let Great Britain know and understand by 
Examples, how it is that Popery, when it 
has the power on its Side uses to proceed 
against all them that are not of its own 
Communion; and how much this united 
Kingdom is therefore indebted to the 
Divine Goodness, for having both hitherto 
preserved, and for Posterity also secured 
it from those great Evils, which so con- 
siderable a Part of those professing with 
them the same Holy Faith have suffered, 
and still do suffer, in other Parts. 

This YOUR LORDSHIPS know per- 
fectly well ; and have no need to be told it 
over again ; But the Generality of People 
in this Nation are greatly Ignorant in this 
Matter, and can hardly be persuaded to 
believe the Excess, Violence and Barbarity 
which by our Enemies has been and still is 
used. Wherefore for the Information of 
such, and for the disappointment of the 
Emissaries of France, who would gladly 
have the Remembrance hereof to be lost; 
I have thought it might be very proper to 
address to YOUR LORDSHIPS the Part 
I have in this valuable Piece ; which is the 



The Epistle Dedicatory, 5 

Translation of it ; and lay before your 
Eyes the matters which it contains, both 
because 'tis well known how your LORD- 
SHIPS have, as with all your might, so 
with a Success answerable, labored to dis- 
sipate the Storm, which lately seem'd to 
gather here, and threaten this flourishing 
Kingdom with the like Calamities : And 
how you have moreover greatly refreshed 
and comforted the French Protestants, 
who fled hither for Refuge, as became true 
Fathers in Christ. 

YOUR LORDSHIPS are not ignorant, 
how they then made their Complaints, and 
their Protestations against the persecu- 
tion of France : Nor can it be a Secret to 
you what was done here, consequently 
to the publishing this true and faithful 
Memorial of theirs, to give a just Repre- 
sentation of their State. But the Copies 
hereof were not only suppressed, but pro- 
hibited so strictly, and in such a manner 
watch'd as they were hardly ever known 
to this Nation, as I can find. And hence 
it is that the very Children of the Refugees 
themselves, who either came hither very 



6 The Epistle Dedicatory, 

young, or else are born here, do not know 
the Cause of the Exile and Transmigration 
of their Fathers and Mothers ; a thing 
which they certainly ought to be well in- 
formed of, and never to forget. It is with 
a Prospect of perpetuating to future Gen- 
erations the sad Remembrance of the Sub- 
version of the State and Condition of the 
Protestants of France, by the unjust Rev- 
ocation of the Edict of Nantes, that one 
who is a refugee here has caused the said 
Book, containing their Complaints and 
Protestations to be reprinted for all the 
rest. 

And whereas by a Declaration of King 
Charles II. of the 28th of July, 168 1, 
YOUR LORDSHIPS are marked out ex- 
presly by the Dignities of the Archbishop 
of Canterbury and the Bishop of Lon- 
don, on purpose to receive the Petitions 
and Complaints of the distressed Refugees, 
in order to be communicated as need shall 
require; YOUR LORDSHIPS are there- 
fore humbly supplicated to cast your Eyes 
upon the Preface of this Book, which 
showes the several Estates of these poor 



The Epistle Dedicatory, 'j 

persecuted People, as it is at present, to- 
which either by the Lapse of Time, or hj 
the Juncture of War, or both, great Num^ 
bers of them have been reduced. 

The poor among them are hence forc'd? 
to cry again for your Help at this time : 
And they presume also to promise them-- 
selves the same from your great Charity,^: 
and that from you, Her Majesty shall be 
informed of the pressing Necessity there 
is to recommend it to her British Parlia- 
ment, in Order to the Relief of their ex- 
treme Poverty and Indigence. And this 
they are the more encouraged to, since 
under the late Reign the House of Com- 
mons did make no Scruple to acknowledge,, 
and publicly notify, that all things con- 
sider'd these Poor were not any charge at 
all to the Nation : And since that the; 
House of Lords also under the present 
happy Reign of her Majesty has declar'di 
to the Kingdom that the foreign Protes- 
tants are profitable to it. 

Nevertheless, the Old, the Sick, the 
Widows, the Orphans, and all those whO) 
are uncapable among them to get thein 



8 The Epistle Dedicatory, 

Livelihood, being by long Continuance of 
the Persecution in the Country of their 
Nativity left destitute of everything, do 
liere implore as with one common Voice 
the Pity of YOUR LORDSHIPS, and 
beseech your Help, so far at least as to re- 
quest in their Favour from this charitable 
Nation the Conveniences of Life in so 
abounding a Country as this, where Provi- 
dence has cast them.* And 
* Your Lordship, fQj- ^g much as Humau 

■will see their Num- 
ber, Names, Ages, Naturc has uccd of bcmg 
QuaHtiesandHab. gustaiucd by Food and 

itatioiis by a New / -^ _ ^ 

List that is a mak- raiment no Ics 3 in time of 
^^^* War than in time of Peace, 

they hope that YOUR LORDSHIPS 
will be pleased, notwithstanding the great 
Occasions of the Nation, to solicit for them 
the Means whereby they may subsist, both 
now and hereafter; as being Objects 
spoil'd of their Goods, and all they had in 
the World, who have been constrained to 
forsake their ungrateful Country, because 
they would not bow the Knee to Baal. 

For these Reasons and the Royal Decla- 
ration that I alledge, which never has been 



The Epistle Dedicatory. g 

altered, I take the Liberty to put this 
Book^ which contains a short but faithful 
Recital of Matter of Fact, under the Pro- 
tection of the Two most worthy Prelates 
of Europe. All the Refugees have ex- 
perienced in generak the Effects of your 
Christian Compassion and Generosity : 
They desire gratefully to acknowledge as 
much, both before God and before the 
World. What you, my Lords, have done 
for them so honourably, and so piously, 
they must all with one Mouth and one 
Heart needs own and confess. May 
YOUR LORDSHIPS continue to them 
always the same Good Will and Affection, 
and also survive their Miseries. 

Now I cannot here mention their Ac- 
knowledgements, without being oblig'd to 
speak at the same time of your Benefac- 
tions : And here indeed would be the 
Place to publish them to the World, for 
the Promotion of Piety and Charity ; but 
this I dare not undertake, but shall leave 
to some others to perform who can do it 
better. In the mean while least my 
Silence on this Head might be of bad Con- 



10 The Epistle Dedicatory. 

sequence and Example, I could not but 
give this small Hint : Tho' I forbear, 
YOUR LORDSHIPS may be assured 
there is no person has a deeper Sense 
than I of your eminent Qualities and Ser- 
vices in Favour both of Religion and of 
the State ; and am not the less for conceal- 
ing my name. 



Your Lordships, 



Most Humble 
Faithful and 
Obedient Servant. 



THE 

PREFACE. 



This Book was first published in 
French in the Year 1686, and then 
Translated into English ; a Copy 
whereof a Merchant of London sent 
to one of his brothers in France ; and 
some time after acquainted him, that 
upon the instances of the French 
Ambassador at this Court, the same 
had been order'd to be burnt, and 
the Translator and Printer thereof 
almost ruin'd by Imprisonments and 
Fines, and that the Papists took a 
great deal of Care to suppress all the 
Copies, least the Nation should be 
made acquainted with the Truths 
contained therein ; where the Cruel- 



14 The Preface, 

ties exercis'd against the Protestants 
of France, who would not abjure their 
Religion, and embrace the Romish, are 
so truly represented: 'Twas at the 
same time that Preparations were 
making in order to put the same 
methods in practice against the Pro- 
testants in England, where the Pope 
kept openly a Nuncio, besides sev- 
eral Monks and Jesuits : There were 
also several Writers, as Sir Roger 
L*Estrange and others, imploy'd, and 
well paid, to assert that there was no 
Persecution in France, but contrari- 
wise voluntary Conversions to the 
Romish Religion; ^ And that as to 
the great number of People who left 
their Country to come over into this, 
under pretence of Religion, they did 
it only for private ends and self inter- 
est. But these Impostures were soon 
born down by the sight of so many 
poor Wretches that throng'd hither 
for Refuge from those dreadful ca- 
lamities which were inflicted on 
them ; The consideration of which 
made the Nation seriously think of 



The Preface, 15 

securing the Protestant Religion, 
which its Enemies design'd to destroy 
here as they had done in France and 
elsewhere. 

Some Years after, the Gentleman 
who had received this Book mEnglish, 
came over to augment the number of 
the Refugees in this Kingdom, and 
inquiring after it, 'twas impossible for 
him to light on any other Copy here : 
But having been told since, that the 
Anonimous Author, was that Excel- 
lent Man of God, the late Mr. Claude, 
Minister of Paris, who died in Hol- 
land soon after he had written this 
Book, by this means he got one in 
French: and very lately by the care 
of a *" Reverend Divine, another in 
English, (perhaps the only one ex- 
tant.) which being compar'd together, 
it appears, that the Translator for 
some regard he had to those times, 
when the Enemies of our Holy 
Religion were in great credit did 
designedly omit several matters of 
fact, and them the most important to 
the Cause of the Refugees ; inso- 

*Doctor Manningham. 



1 6 The Preface, 

much, that above the fourth part of it 
was cut off in the Translation ; tho' 
the Translator far'd none the better 
for it. 

Seeing then the great efforts made 
to suppress this Book, it the rather 
deserves to be preserv'd among Pro- 
testants to all Posterity. And for as 
much as the Refugees in this King- 
dom durst not by reason of the strict 
Prohibition keep any of them, 'tis 
thought of the utmost Importance to 
revive it again, especially at this Junc- 
ture, which seems so much more fav- 
orable than the former, and to offer 
it intire as if it were a new Work to 
the Nation, according to the Re- 
fugees first intent, in which view it is 
now reprinted in both Languages, for 
the convenience of those that under- 
stand but one. 

The .Public will see that this Book 
is an Abridgment of the cruel and 
inhumane Persecution, exercis'd a- 
gainst the Protestants in France for 
several Years together, to the Pre- 
judice of the Edict of Nantes, and its 



The Preface.. 1 7 

dismal consequences to the begin- 
ning of the Year 1686. 'Tis likewise 
a solemn Protestation of above 150,- 
000 Refugees in several Protestant 
States, who both for themselves and 
their Brethren, that could not escape 
the hands of the Dragoons, do call 
to Heaven and Earth for vengence of 
the outrages done to them or their 
Relations, as also for the Cruelties 
still exercis'd against those that have 
the misfortune to be yet kept in 
Prisons, Dungeons, Convents, or Gal- 
leys, for the sake of their Religion, to 
the prejudice of Natural Rights, 
Treaties, Public Faith, Edicts, Prom- 
ises and Oaths. 'Tis to be hoped 
there are other writers since Mr. 
Claude^ who wall have gather'd to- 
gether the further Transactions re- 
lating to this subject, in order to 
transmit the Memory thereof to Pos- 
terity, inspight of the Disguises and 
Lies, the Authors of those Evils, and 
malicious Reports have spread a- 
broad, by means of the Declarations 
and Subscriptions which they have 



1 8 The Preface, 

forc'd from those they persecuted, 
obliging 'em to say that their pretend- 
ed Abjurations were voluntary. But 
these foul Imputations so well known 
to the Refugees in this Country, 
obliged them to challenge 'em as 
false, and to put this Question to 
their Enemies ; To what purpose 
(were things as you say) are the Pas- 
sages by Sea and Land shut up, and 
guarded with so much Cost and Pre- 
cution, even against those that have 
given you such Declarations ? Why 
are so many Thousands of both Sexes 
come into this country ? 'Tis well 
known, they will return this Answer, 
That the loss of those People is but 
inconsiderable to France, since there 
are only the poorer, and meaner sort 
that go away, for the Rich are so nar- 
rowly watch'd, that they cannot es- 
cape : But this is another notorious 
Falsehood, for on the contary there 
are in genereal only those who had 
Money or Credit that could be at the 
vast Expenses necessary for their Es- 
cape, which is computed to amount to 



The Preface. ig 

at least 200,000 1. Sterling in specie 
paid to the Masters of English ships, 
merely for the passage of those that 
came over into this Country; and as 
for their Quality (without undervalu- 
ing in the least any of those that fled 
into others Countries) there are come 
hither a Duke, and a Mareschal of 
France^ some Generals of Armies, a 
Dutchess, several Counts and Count- 
esses, Marquises, and Marchionesses, 
Judges of Soverign Courts, Viscounts, 
Barons, Noblemen, and Gentlemen, 
Ladies and Gentlewomen, Men of 
Learning, Lawyers, Physicians, Sub- 
stantial Merchants, Tradesmen of all 
sorts, and many Captains, Masters, 
Mariners, Gardners, and Husband- 
men ; besides the great number of 
Ministers who were banish'd that 
Kingdom, with orders, to depart forth- 
with upon pain of the Galleys. These 
are the Persons who are said to be 
of little Consequence; whilst their 
Enemies do say in other places, that 
the loss is irreparable. Now its plain 
on the one hand, that the love of 



20 The Preface. 

one's Country, Estate, Settlement, 
Relations, Friends, plenty of Wine 
and other enjoyments of this Life are 
very strong tyes; from whence it 
must be confess'd on the other hand, 
that there must be some stronger 
Motives to induce such Multitudes to 
forsake all the afore-mentioned Ad- 
vantages, and seek an Azilum in 
Foreign-Countries and unknown Lan- 
guages, against the persecutions of 
an ungrateful Country, where one is 
not allowed to Worship God accord- 
ing to ones Conscience, as the Author 
of this Book has manifestly evidenc'd. 
This is nevertheless the dismal Lot 
of the Refugees, and were this a 
proper Place to speak of the Hazards, 
Shipwrecks, and Dangers which so 
many Thousands have been expos'd 
to, and how many have perish'd be- 
fore they arriv'd in this free Country, 
no doubt but the Reader would 
pass a Charitable Judgement upon 
those that are come over ; But 
this would require a Volume by itself ; 
however, to hear the Emissaries of 



The Preface, 21 

Rome.viho do not stick impudently to 
affirm it, one would think there had 
never been any Persecution in France, 
or at least if there had, that it has 
ceased, seeing they say, that there 
are now no Protestants left; which 
they endeavour the more to insinuate 
in this time of War, when all Corre- 
spondence is intirely cut off. 'Tis 
therefore the Duty of those that are 
here, to refute that falsehood, by as- 
serting real and sensible matters of 
fact, such as may convince the World, 
and Great Britain in particular, that 
since the Revocation of the Edict of 
Nantes, the Reformed of France have 
continually being persecuted; For, , 
not to speak of the Slaugthers com- 
mitted in the Cevennes, nor of what 
has passed elsewhere, but only of cer- 
tain matters of fact which have hap- 
pened since the Death of the A uthor of 
this Book, as may be proved by Per- 
sons living here, and transacted in a 
little District of the Parliament of 
Guienne, (reputed to be one of the 
most indulgent of that Kingdom in 



22 The Preface. 

point of Religion, by reason of the 
Trade of that Country with the 
Northern Protestants,) one may there 
by judge, whether there is still such a 
thing as a Persecution in France, 
To which end, the Paptists in this 
kingdom are desir'd to address them- 
selves to Martha Guisard living in 
F^Hth-Street Soho. She will tell them 
that she came out of France, because 
John Guisard her Father was Burnt 
at Nera, being accused of having ir- 
reverently receiv'd the Cost. Let 
them speak to Mrs. Tinel, Wife of a 
French Minster at Bristol, and to his 
Sister in Law, they will tell them, 
that the Sieur ^ Mar- 
*The History of his ^ucron their Father 

Edifying Death ts <> 

to be Sold at the was Haug'd at Ste. Foy, 
^t.rJ^t:::. for having -heia a Re- 
ligious Assemby in his 
House, his Estate was confiscated and 
the House pulled down, their Mother 
condemned to make Ameitde Honour- 
able, her head shav'd by the Hang- 
man, bare-footed, and in her Shift, 
holding in her hand a lighted Torch, 



The Preface. 23 

and afterwards to a perpetual Impris- 
onment; and that they escaped the 
like Severities by their flight into this 
Kingdom, with their Brother since 
kill'd in Our Army. Let them ask 
of the Sieur Peyferie and his family, 
what made them a great Estate, to be 
reduc'd to great Streights in Tower- 
street in Soho? He will answer that 
being accused with some Neighbours 
of his, of having exercis'd his Relig- 
ion in his Country-house, he was con- 
demned to be hang'd, his House de- 
molished, and his Woods destroy'd, 
but God of his mercy delivered him 
from that danger : Let them inquire 
of* Mrs. Charlotte, and Mrs. Mary, 
Daughters of the Sieur ^^ la Ramiers, 
who died in the Service of England } 
They will tell them that his Castle 
was pull'd down, and his Woods de- 
stroy'd, for having held there a Re- 
ligious Assembly. The Sieurs Dupre, 
and Moses dii Boiist, now living in 
the Parish of St, Giles in the Fields, 
will testify, that they were persecuted 
in their Persons and Estates, their 



24 The Preface, 

Houses demolished before they fled 
into this Country, where they are 
necessitated to live upon the Charity 
of the Nation, the one being 80 years 
old, and the other grown Invalid in 
our Army ; Martha Trapeatc and 
Mary Lade living in Soho will an- 
swer: That being Sick they receiv- 
ed a visit from the Priest and Magis- 
trate, to whom they declar'd, that 
notwithstanding they had through 
their persecution, been forced to ab- 
jure their Religion, they were resolv'd 
however to die in it; but being re- 
covered, they were condemned to 
make Amende Honourable, and to be 
perpetually confined in the Manufac- 
ture of Bourdeatix, from whence they 
made their escape to the great danger 
of their Lives. 'Tis into the same 
place of Torment that Olympe Passe- 
laigue of Bergerac, Joan Darrat, and 
Joan her Sister of Faugeroles, Joan 
GrotcXj judiih Chabot, Catherine 
Mtilb, the two Mrs. Gormx, Martha 
Cove, and others now here, to the 
number of 18 were confin'd for en- 



The Preface. 25 

deavouring to fly from the Persecu- 
tion, having had the misfortune to be 
taken going out of France, from 
whence they afterwards made their 
escape in the Night through the 
Windows; as for the Men, if any of 
them are surpris'd making their es- 
cape; 'tis Amende Hoiiourable and 
the Galleys^ and the Sieurs Co7ista7is 
and Bessete of Dtiras have under- 
gone that punishment for assisting in 
the Assembly with the Sieur Mar- 
gueron, and do there keep company 
to a great many others that suffer 
Persecution for the Cause of Religion. 
The Sieur Augier of Casteljaloux, 
who Died in the Fortress of Blaye. 
is also an example of the Rigor exer- 
cis'd by the Persecutors. 

To shew how they still deal in 
France with the Protestants, here 
is an undeniable matter of fact, 
Mary Perreau living in Spittlefields, 
will tell you, that she was married 
at Plymouth to Peter Perreau a 
French Pilot, who a Month after 
their marriage being Sail'd for the 



26 The Preface. 

Straights was taken, and carried into 
France, where he was condemned to 
the Galleys for loi Years. Since 
then as 'tis Death or the Gallevs for 
the Men who refuse to change their 
Religion, "or, are found making their 
escape, so 'tis Amende Honourable 
and perpetual Imprisonment for the 
Women, where a great number have 
Dyed, among others the Illustrious 
Wife of the Holy Martyr the Sieur 
Margueron, and lately the Confessors 
Mrs. La Serre, and Mrs. Gentillot ; 
the Prisons continue still filled with 
Women, some of which have been 
above 20 Years in the Town-house of 
Bordeaux^ glorifying God by their 
Sufferings; and amongst others, Mrs. 
Villotes a Gentlewoman of 80 Years 
of age, that has a Daughther living 
in Soho, Claudine le May^ and Joan 
her Daughter, Mrs. Bar dot, Mrs. 
Charlemont, and a great many more 
do sufficiently testify, that were it 
not for the Persecution, so many Per- 
sons would hardly be kept in Prison. 
These are living Witnesses for 



The Prefdce. 27 

such as desire to be further satisfied 
of the Truth, and this small number 
(which might be infinitely increased), 
its hop'd will suffice both to manifest 
the Truth, and to confute the Malice 
of those who are endeavouring to 
subvert it by their false slanders a- 
gainst the Refugees ; As for in- 
stance they gave out sometime since 
that all the Protestants in France 
went to Mass, and were really con- 
verted to the Romish Religion ; than 
which nothing is more notoriously 
false, for proof whereof one needs 
only observe, that the present War 
having necessitated the raising the 
Militia in France; Personal Taxes 
have been laid on the Protestants 
who refuse to go to Mass, which 
serves as a Fund for the Payment of 
the said Militia. So that the Clergy 
of France^ who had promis'd the 
French King to extirpate the Pro- 
testant Religion, and to make the 
Romish triumph, have done the quite 
contrary : For let them Banish the 
Ministers, Prohibit the Assemblies, 



28 The Preface. 

Exile 'em and inflict even Death it- 
self, if they please, this doth not de- 
stroy Religion, but only as it were cuts 
off those rivulets whose Springs re- 
main, for they can not Banish the Light 
of the Reform'd, nor hinder the Con- 
solation of the Holy Ghost. 

But say they, the Persecutors do 
not now use Rigors, they will instruct 
the Reform'd by Degrees, who being 
once well instructed, will have no re- 
pugnance to remain in the Romish 
Church, This is a great mistake, 
the Reformed are not desirous of 
Instructions from such Ministers; let 
them be told never so often, that 
their Ministers have misrepresented 
the Romish Religion, and that they 
are to harken to their Converters 
who will give them a right Informa- 
tion of it, to this they will readily 
answer, we are not so to be Instruct- 
ed by you, for the Edicts and Decla- 
rations you have obtained from the 
King against us, our Ministers Ban- 
ish'd at your sollicitations our Breth- 
ren condemned to the Galleys, and 



The Preface, 2g 

to Death by your Persecutions, the 
Cruelties exercis'd against us by the 
Dragoons, all your Treacheries, In- 
justices, and Cruelties do sufficiently 
shew us what your Religion and 
Faith is, and plainly convinces us, 
that it is not from God, what Profes- 
sion soever you pretend to make of 
Christianity. Let this suffice to be 
said in justification of the Protestants 
that still remain in France, under the 
longest and sharpest Persecution 
that ever was heard of, and in which 
Fraud and Imposture are counten- 
anced by force, and this is the reason 
the matters of fact Jiere-mentioned 
have been produced from one little 
part of the Kingdom only, because 
they may so easily be proved here 
Viva Voce. And then let any one 
judge what is transacted in other 
Places, where the Protestants are us'd 
with greater severity. And by the 
way one may here see the Causes 
and Motives, of the depopulating of 
France, and the Reasons why so many 
Thousands fled into Protestant Coun- 



30 The Preface. 

tries to shelter themselves, from the 
Injuries their Brethren are still ex- 
pos'd to. 

Having now represented the sev- 
eral Qualities of the French Refugees 
in this Kingdom, (who must not be 
suppos'd to be of higher rank than 
those that have taken Sanctuary 
in other Countries), it may confi- 
dently be affirm'd that such an en- 
crease of People, is an advantageous 
Acquisition to this Kingdom, for 
they were not all poor as is well 
known at the Exchequer, and Royal 
Exchange, especially, if we give any 
credit to the Computation that has 
been made in France, of what they 
brous^ht over, and of the loss that 
Kino^dom has sustain'd. 'Tis confi- 
dently reported there, that sometime 
before the Revocation of the Edict 
of N'antes, and during the great Per- 
secution, many Protestants foresee- 
ing the Misfortunes likely to befall 
'em, sent away a great part of their 
Estate out of France, insomuch that 
it's computed, the Refugees, one 



The Preface, 3 1 

with another, either in Money, 
Goods, Jewels or other movables, 
have brought over at least the value 
of one Hundred Pounds Sterling, 
whereby that Nation is so much im- 
poverish'd in its Funds, (which it 
has so much wanted since) to this 
they add; that of necessary Con- 
sumption which is reckoned at 7 1. 
Sterling /^r Head per Annufn ; and 
therefore by the Rule of contraries, 
that Country whither they have 
transplanted themselves, is by so 
much the gainer. However 'tis hop'd 
none will be so uncharitable as to 
doubt, that out of Gratitude as v^^ell 
as Affection, the Refugees are intire- 
ly devoted to the Nation that has re- 
ceiv'd 'em with so much Humanity. 
This will appear if it be consider'd 
how great a share they had in the 
Reduction of Ireland, where upwards 
of 7000 of them perish'd either by 
Sword or Sickness, which must 
otherwise have fallen upon the Eng- 
lish ; Some of the Refugees have en- 
deavoured to subsist both by liberal 



32 The Preface. 

and mechanic Arts, and Husbandry, 
but above all by their mutual Trade 
and Correspondence with their Ac- 
quaintance and Friends that have 
settled in others Countries, as in 
Switzerland^ Geneva^ Germany^ Hol- 
land and the Northern Crowns, 
which has much increas'd all the 
Revenues of this Kingdom, and 
given a greater blow to France, than 
six Civil Wars could other ways have 
done, and at the same time have pro- 
cur'd to this Kingdom in particular, 
A real and lasting advantage, as the 
House of Lords, was pleased to take 
notice in a Conference with the Com- 
mons, about the Bill for preventing 
Occasional Conformity, in 
^Printed ^]^g words foUowins: page 

tn February / \ n, . 7^ 

770J. (24) "^ As to the Foreign Pro- 

testants^ there is great reason to 
give them all just encouragement^ for as they 
have brought among us many New Manu- 
factures, so they have carried them so far, 
that of late years we have exported to the 
value of a Million of Woollen Manufac- 
tures, more than was done in King Charles s 



The Preface. 33 

Reign, before they came among us ; and 
the putting them tender Apprehensions or 
D iscouragem,ents , may be a means to drive 
them to a Cotmtry where they are sure 
of an intire Liberty. The Lords add, We 
have felt the happy effects of the liberty 
granted the^n in the last Reign, and. it is 
to be hoped, that jiothing will be done in 
this to im,peach that, or to raise Apprehen- 
sions and Fears in the minds of Men, that 
are so useful to us in the m,ost important 
Article of our Trade. 

The opinion oi that Noble House, 
who have thus eniinently stood up 
for the Refugees, ought one would 
think to have silenced that multitude 
of malicious Libels that are daily 
Publish'd against 'em, whose Authors 
have so little modesty as to affirm, 
that the French are come over for 
want of means of subsistancej and 
not out of Zeal for Religion ; which 
Calumny the English Tradesmen 
magnify exceedingly because they say, 
that the French Refugees work cheap- 
er than they do. Now supposing 



34 The Preface, 

that were true ; it can be no damage 
in the least, even to them that com- 
plain; For if a Shoemaker, for ex- 
ample, get 3 or 4 Pence less in a Pair 
of Shoes, he on the other hand will 
save that in his Gloves, and much 
more in his Hat, which by the same 
reason will be render'd as cheap in 
proportion, and so of all other things. 
But if any one would contest this 
matter farther, we shall leave their 
justification to the Landlords of those 
Houses that have been built since 
their coming over, the Rent of which 
by a modest Computation cannot 
amount to less than 8O5OO0I. yearly, 
and they without doubt will afifirm 
that their Refugee Tenants are no 
ways prejudicial to the Nation, for 
those of 'em that subsist of them- 
selves, relieve to the utmost of their 
Power such of their Brethren as are 
necessitous, and readily pay both 
Parish and National Taxes; They 
have most of them been Naturaliz'd, 
tho' at their own proper Charges, and 
pay the Rent of their Churches, and 



The Preface. 35 

the Salaries of their Ministers, Read- 
ers and Schoolmasters, whereas in 
other Countries, especially in Hol- 
land, the Refugees are naturaliz'd 
gratis, they have the Freedom of 
keeping Shops, and exercising their 
respective Callings, and have been 
supplied with above 100 Churches, 
either in the United Provinces, or in 
Germany, at the charge" of the States 
General, who very far from suffering 
'em to pay the Ministers of the 
Country, where they reside, do them- 
selves pay the stipends of the Refu- 
gee Ministers, Readers and School- 
masters, which are very considerable. 
But what is yet more to their advan- 
tage is, that since the Persecution 
which hath lasted now above 21 
Years, most of which time the States 
General have in Conjunction with 
this Kingdom, being engaged in an 
Expensive War against France ; not 
one Refugee in Holland has ever 
pay'd one Farthing for his Personal 
Estate or Stock in Trade. One 
might enlarge very much on this sub- 



36 The Preface. 

ject, were it not fear'd that the Libel- 
lers would insinuate from hence, 
as tho' the Refugees complained, 
whereas they are so far from it, that 
'tis unwillingly they are forc'd to in- 
stance in these things, to defend 
themselves against those that en- 
deavor to asperse them, with the tak- 
ing away the Bread out of English- 
men's Mouths, in order to render 
them odious to the common People ; 
'Tis also in that view alone the Refu- 
gees alledge the advantagious settle- 
ment of their Brethren in Branden- 
bourgh, the History whereof has been 
printed at Berlin, by Robert Roger, 
in 1690, which shews they believe in 
that Country that the Refugees are a 
very great Benefit to them, seeing his 
Prussian Majesty is not content only 
to favour them in his own Domin- 
ions, but likewise causes his Ambas- 
sadors in other Protestant Courts to 
make * Collects in the behalf of all 
such Protestants as take Refuge in 
his Countries. 

* Her Majesty'' s Brief for the Protestants of the Princi- 
pality of Orange^ Owned Subjects of his Prussian Majesty , 
Dated the 77 November^ 1703. 



The Preface, 37 

If therefore all Politicians agree, 
that multitudes of People make the 
Glory of Kings, and the Riches of a 
country, why are then so many Li- 
bels suffer'd here to be Publish'd in 
opposition to those General Maxims ? 
The Refugees think themselves un- 
der an obligation to declare it, and 
let the Fublick know, that this 
Evil proceeds from the Enemies of 
their Religion ; some unquestionable 
Proofs whereof shall be brought here- 
after : But first 'tis proper to give 
an Account of a very remarkable thing 
that happened in the Year 1664. 
Some Popish Villages of the Dis- 
trict of Lalew in the Low Countries 
Corresponding with Amsterdam, and 
coming accidently by some Books of 
Controversy, were soon perswaded of 
the Falsehood of the Popish Relig- 
ion, and thereupon forsook it, which 
the Curates perceiving made their 
complaints to the Bishop, and the 
Bishop to the French King, after 
several Citations, Sentence was pro- 
nounced, that they should either go 



38 The Preface. 

to Mass, or leave the Country, those 
Pious Christians rather chose the 
latter; at which King Charles II. 
was pleas'd to order Deputies to be 
sent thither to invite them over into 
England^ and to make 'em very ad- 
vantageous offers, besides the de- 
fraying their Charges; But the Kings 
of Sweden and Denmark^ the States 
of Holland, and the Electors Pala- 
tine, Saxony and Brandenbourg, hav- 
ing at the same time sent their Dep- 
uties, the Conditions offerd on the 
part of the Elector * Palatine being 
more advantageous than 
^Privileges othcrs, thcy Settled in 

granted to the i * /^ jl i. i-1 

LiiesofLaiew, his Couutry to the num- 

in 17 Articles by bcr of 180O MCU, WO" 

Charles Lewis i r^\ '\ ^ 

Earl Palatine, "^'Gn, aud Children, 
5 August ibb4. Tradesmen and Hus- 
bandmen, destitute of 
everything. But by reason of the 
late Wars in the Palatinate, and the 
destruction of Billingheim, they were 
obliged to leave that Country and 
settle in Pomerania., where they now 
are. This may serve to confute the 



The Preface. 39 

unthinking Libellers ; for no suffici- 
ent reason can be given why such 
numbers of Protestants as come over 
of themselves should be less esteem'd 
than those who are invited by great 
Offers. For they as well as these 
encrease the Consumption of our 
Manufactures and Products, espec- 
ially that of Corn, and thereby save 
the Five Shillings per Quarter on 
what they consume, which would 
otherwise be paid on Exportation ; 
Add to this the Sentiments of Sr. 
Thofnas Culpeper in his Political 
Treatise, Sr. William Petty in his 
Political Arithmetic, Sr. Josiah Child 
in his new discourse of Trade, and 
Sr. Francis Brewster in his Essays 
on Trade, wherein its manifest all 
their efforts chiefly aim at inculcating 
the absolute necessity of an increase 
of People, which they say is the 
Source of Riches, and confess that 
this Nation being under-peopled 
stands in need of being Recruited. 

It has already been said that the 
Refugees to testify their Acknow- 



40 The Preface. 

ledgements have readily exposed 
themselves to the perils of War, and 
that in the Reduction of Ireland 
above 7000 of 'em have perished ; 
which must once more be repeated, 
because 'tis the sad Spring from 
whence proceeds the great number 
of Sick and Maimed Persons, Wid- 
ows, and Orphans, that have lost 
their Husbands, Fathers, Brothers 
and other Relations, who during-their 
Lives supplied their Wants, besides 
several Old Gentlemen, Old Minis- 
ters, and their Wives, who in Process 
of time being grown weak and out of 
employment, after having spent all 
they had saved out of France, are re- 
duc'd to the necessity of begging the 
Public Charity of the Nation, and be- 
cause 'tis these that are the most ex- 
pos'd to the continual Machinations 
of their Enemies, let this Preface in- 
form the Reader of what perhaps he 
may be unacquainted with, which is 
the manner of their subsistance; since 
a more favorable opportunity will 
hardly ever offer it self, than the pres- 



The Preface, 4 1 

ent Publication of their Complaints 
against their Country-men. And to 
this purpose 'tis necessary to remind 
him of what pass'd in the Sessions of 
Parliament in 1695, when those Poor 
People presented a petition to the 
House of Commons, whereupon a 
Committee was appointed, in which 
upon the examination of their several 
Qualities, Ages and Callings; 'twas 
found that the number of Old Gentle- 
men, and Ministers, their Wives, Chil- 
dren, Widows and Orphans, was then 
2460 Persons worthy of the Public 
Charity of the Nation, as appears by 
the Committee's Report to the House, 
containing the Declarations of King 
Charles the \\. of the 28th of July 
1 68 1 , and of King William and Queen 
Mary of the 25th of April 1689. men- 
tioned in the said Report, importing, 
That the French Protestants having 
been invited with great promises of 
assistance, to come hither, it were a 
great scaridal to the Government and 
Religion, if they were not speedily re- 
lieved, and that it would be strange if 



42 The Preface, 

this Nation should suffer itself to be 
outdone by their Neighbours in so ex- 
cellent a work, seeing, that what Char- 
ity soever is bestow' d upon them (be- 
sides the Blessing that redounds from 
it) the Nation is ne'er the Poorer since 
it receives it back by Consumption as 
fast as it is given, Tn consideration 
of which Report the House of Com- 
mons Voted 1 5000I. Sterling /^r ^4;^- 
nuTn for the subsistance of those 
Poor Refugees. But 3000I. being ap- 
pointed for the Ministers out of the 
said sum, there remain'd but 12000I. 
for the Laity, both here and in Ireland^ 
which being then Paid in Remote 
Taillys and Malt Tickets, and the 
same being ordered to be Sold by the 
Lords appointed for regulating the 
Manner of distributing the Charity of 
the Nation. There was in 1696, 1697, 
and 1698, lost by them 6559I. 9s. lod. 
which deprived the Poor of Seven 
Months Subsistance, during which 
time they were obliged to Borrow, 
what they could without having any 
prospect of repaying the same, unless 



The Preface, 43 

the Deficiency upon the Tallies should 
be made good, which as it was never 
done, has increas'd their Number. 
This is the Account of what pass'd in 
Parliament, one might add to the 
Misfortune of that Deficiency, a yet 
heavier loss for the Poor French Refu- 
gees, which is that they did not re- 
ceive the Charity of the Nation, the 
Year King William died, which was 
then due and never paid, (the Warrant 
for which is yet unsatisfied ;) Which 
losses inevitably oblig'd 'em to con- 
tract Debts for their daily Sustenance, 
which being wholly unable to satisfy 
their Creditors, many of them have 
acted rigourously to the utter ruin of 
such as were left destitute by these 
unexpected Deficiencies, which to- 
gether with the Continuation of the 
War, and the Calamities that attend 
it have so increas'd their Misery, that 
by a List newly Publish'd by Order 
of His Grace the Lord Archbishop of 
Canterbury, and the Lord Bishop of 
London, containing the Quality, Age, 
Sex and Habitation of every one, it 



44 l^he Preface. 

appears that from the Year 1696, and 
the Report then made to this present 
time, they are increas'd to more than 
double the Number, and that for some 
Years the 12000I. has not been suffi- 
cient to pay the rent of their Lodg- 
ings, and besides most of them being 
Old and Sick, let any one imagine the 
straights these Poor People are re- 
duc'd to, (which is not fit to be Pub- 
lish'd) and what Assistance can they 
expect from the other Refugees, who 
according to the Enemies Computa- 
tion, have so little for themselves as 
will hardly suffice to maintain them; 
so that unless some more effectual 
means be found out for their Support, 
their Numbers without a miracle must 
daily increase ; for humanly speak- 
ing, tho' the Refugees should 
*2Con5. exceed the ^Macedonians 
in Charity to one another, 
nothing is to be expected but an ad- 
dition of Misery. But there is reason 
to expect better things from this 
Charitable Nation, when with their 
wonted Compassion, they will be 



The Preface. 45 

pleased to take notice of the great 
occasion there is of exercising their 
Clemency towards such a number of 
miserable Objects, it being to be 
hop'd there are many who will follow 
the example of the Right Honorable 
Mr. Secretary Harley, whose Kind= 
nesses and Charitable Offices proceed- 
ing from meer motives of Religion 
and Humanity towards these Poor 
Sufferers, they have often felt the 
good effects of. as well as of so many 
other Worthy Members of Parlia- 
ment, who know, That giving to the 
Poor is lending unto the Lord!^ 

It has already been observ'd that 
the Enemies of the Reformed Relig- 
ion are those Libellers who are always 
endeavoring to propagate that of 
Rome, and strive to render the con- 
dition of the French Protestants 
bitter and grievous, they have Emis- 
saries who make it their Business to 
descend from the general, even to the 
particular Persons of the Poor, whom 
they attack with grievous Calumnies, 
Reproaching them with having left 

* Proverbs, chapter 19, verse 17. 



46 The Preface, 

their Wooden Shoes, and the Garlick 
and Onions they lived upon, to come 
hither to live at ease, and rob Green- 
wich Hospital, and the Widows, and 
Orphans of the Nation, of the Chari- 
ties which they so much better de- 
serve, and are now bereft of, by their 
being bestowed on such unworthy 
People. Thus they endeavor to de- 
prive them of all manner of comfort, 
that they may be obliged to return to 
France, whilst on the other hand they 
make the Ways and means of repair- 
ing thither, very easy to such as are 
willing to go. Several instances of 
such Intrigues might be brought 
whereby they have enticed away many 
Children, who in France are put in 
Possession of the whole Estate of the 
Family, provided they abjure their 
Religion. Those Emissaries of Rome 
pretend to do those Evils that Good 
may come of it, but that is to accu- 
mulate Crime upon Crime, one of 
their Creatures had the Confidence 
to present a Petition to Her Majesty, 
and to his Grace the Lord Arch- 



The Preface. 47 

bishop of Canterbury, and the Lord 
Bishop of London, importing that 
the French Committee appointed by 
the Lords ^Commissioners for dis- 
tributing the Public Charity, were 
false to their Trust, beseeching Her 
Majesty to give him leave to secure 
their Persons, and that in the mean- 
time the Charity of the Nation should 
be suspended ; Upon this and such 
like Representations Her Majesty 
was pleased to order Sr, Owen Buck- 
ingham the then Lord Mayor to 
Summon the English Committee to 
Examine the Matter, and make their 
Report. The Person thereupon ap- 
pearing before them could not make 
out the least appearance of Misde- 
meanor in the French Committee, 
and finding that the * Report would 
not be in his favour, and that Her 
Majesty had order'd the Attorney 
General to prosecute him, he made 
his escape beyond Sea, since which 
it was discover'd that he was a Papist 
in disguise, that fled from Piedmont 
for having killed a Priest; and his 

* Report made the 26th July, 1705. 



48 The Preface. 

wife confess'd that he was to receive 
a Reward, could he have compass'd 
the Design of annulling the French 
Committee, which consist of Persons 
beyond all Suspicion, who give an 
exact Account of their Administra- 
tion to the English Commissioners, 
who both the one and the other em- 
ploy their Time, Care and Pains 
from no other Principle than their 
Duty to God and Charity to their 
poor Brethren, and yet such Repre- 
sentations, false as they are, having 
pass'd for current without any de- 
fence from afflicted Innocence, have 
proved of dangerous Consequence; 
for it hath been observed for some 
Years past, that the Charitable Ex- 
ample of several Worthy Christians, 
who have formerly left Gifts and 
Legacies at their Death, is very little 
followed at this time when there is so 
great an occasion for it, the Disuse 
of which Laudable Custom is in a 
great measure attributed to the subtle 
and crafty Insinuations of the Emis- 
saries of France and Rome, who leave 



The Preface. 4g 

no means unattempted for the De- 
struction of the Refugees, whilst the 
Popish Tenet of the Merit of Good 
Works by the Pope's Indu]gencies,and 
the Priests' Exhortations, is an almost 
incredible Support to the necessitous 
English and Irish Papists in France. 
To sum up all from what has been 
said, 'tis to be hop'd no one will 
suffer himself any longer to be preju- 
diced against the Poor Refugees; 
But that all will submit to the favour- 
able Declarations of those August 
Bodies the Houses of Lords and 
Commons, that so the great number 
of poor Members of Jesus Christ, who 
have escaped the Persecution and 
now implore the Charity of the Nation 
in a manner proportionable to their 
Wants, should live comfortably and 
Die in Peace, which might be ef- 
fected, could it be contrived that each 
of Her Majesty's Subjects in England 
should give but a Penny every Year 
towards their Relief, (and that would 
suffice them,) which would not in the 
least be felt, if it be considered that 



50 The Preface. 

it would all be spent here ; besides 
as most of them are old and sickly, 
Death, humanly speaking, will in a 
very little time rid the Nation of 
them, and the Younger of them, who 
do not remember France, but with 
Sentiments of Resentment, are dayly 
blended among the English ; Inso- 
much, that, after the present War is 
ended, there should be liberty of re- 
turning, there are few will go back, 
but those that now seem to be 
chargeable to the Nation, and have 
left great Estates there, but their 
Number will be compensated doubly 
by the Parents and Friends of those 
that shall remain, who will be induced 
to come hither, w4iere joynin^ with 
those whose Abilities and Talents 
permit 'em to enjoy the Happiness 
and Liberty they find, under the 
Reign of Her most Sacred Majesty, 
will altogether esteem it their Glory 
and Felicity to live here, and be faith- 
ful and zealous Subjects of the 
Country that has been their Sanctu- 
ary, and thereby encrease the Power 
and Glory and Riches thereof. 



A 

SHORT ACCOUNT 

Of the COMPLAINTS, 

AND 

Cruel PERSECUTIONS 

OF THE 

PROTESTANTS 

IN THE 

KINGDOM of FRANCE. 

The Barbarities committed of late 
against the Protestants of France,, 
must appear so detestable to all who 
have not quite divested themselves 
of Humanity, and are such terrible 
Prodigies of Fury and Iniquity, as 'tis 
not to be wonder'd they who have 



54 1^^^ Complaints of the 

been the Authors thereof, should use 
all sort of means to extenuate as 
much as they can and to their utmost 
endeavours keep from the knowledge 
of the Publick the down right Truth 
of the matter. Did we not know 
that this was a project, which they 
for a great while together, had con- 
certed, and plotted, and into which 
after long Deliberation they had pur- 
posely introduced all those Injust 
Passions, which have therein ap- 
peared in all their Colours, we might 
possibly then say, that this their ex- 
tenuation might be a mark of the 
tacit condemnation of what they had 
done, and suppose this their palliat- 
ing an acknowledgment of their own 
Displeasure at it. 

Bilt when Men Act in cold Blood, 
and with a premeditated fury, how 
extravagant soever their Actions are, it 
is not usual for them to repent of 'em, 
'tis therefore better to say, that if 
this be not an effect of some remains 
of shame, and remorse of Conscience, 
we may suppose at least 'tis out of 



Protestants of France. 55 

some respect and regard to the 
World, which do's not permit 'em to 
expose to its View, those violences in 
their true and natural Form, but on 
the contrary obliges them to disguise 
'em in order to diminish their horrour. 
But whatever fine gloss may be set 
on these Proceedinsfs, it must be 
however confessed, that it is an un- 
conceivable Impudence thus to pre- 
tend to impose on the whole World 
in matters of fact, so certain and so 
publick as those are, and to endeavour 
to put a cheat upon all Europe, as to 
Transactions known, not barely by- 
Gazettes, or by Publick Prints, but 
which is much more authentick, by 
an almost infinite Number of the 
very Persons themselves of all Ranks, 
who are escaped, to set before the 
Eyes of the remotest Nations their 
Miseries and Calamities : Nay, it can- 
not be denied, but that after hav- 
ing so terribly overwhelm'd Innocent 
People in their own Country, it is 
beyond Barbarity it self, to endeavour 
to stifle their Complaints in other 



56 The Complaints of the 

Countries whither they are driven. 
And by this means deprive them of 
a Compassion which even the bare 
Instincts of Nature, never refuse to 
the miserable. However, this is the 
course our Persecutors in France 
hold at this Day, Cruelty by their 
Order marcheth first, and then Im- 
posture followeth after; That so 
all the Mischief which Cruelty hath 
brought forth, Imposture at the Heels 
of it may not only cover over, but 
likewise aggravate; to the end that 
the objects of their Fury may be left 
destitute of every Remedy, or Relief, 
be it never so small. 

It were not reasonable to suffer 
them to go on, in this Second ^^'SA^n, 
as they have done in the First; and 
therefore, till a more exact Account 
may be given of all the Particulars 
transacted in the different Acts of 
this Trajedy, we shall choose some 
principal Instances upon which we 
shall make such Reflections, as will 
enable the World to pass an equita- 
ble and impartial Judgment on the 



Protesla7tis of France. 57 

whole Proceeding. And as we shall 
say nothing as to matters of fact, but 
what is certainly and notoriously 
known ; So we shall advance nothing 
in our Reflections, but what all, even 
of the meanest Capacity, may easily 
comprehend. 

To begin with matters of fact ; 
there is no Body but knows, that a 
little after his present Majesty of 
France came to the Crown, there 
arose in the Kingdom a Civil War, 
which proved so sharp and desperate, 
as brought the State within a Hair's 
breadth of utter Ruin. 'Tis also well 
known, that in the midst of all these 
Troubles, those of the Reformed Re- 
ligion still kept their Loyalty so in- 
violable, and accompanied it with 
such a Zeal, and with a fervour so 
extraordinary, and so successful, that 
the King found himself oblig'd to 
give Publick Marks of it, by a Decla- 
ration made at St. Ger^nains, in the 
Year 1652. Then as well at Court 
as in the Armies, each strove to pro- 
claim loudest the Merits of the Re- 
formed, and even the Queen Mother 



58 The Complaints of the 

herself was the first who set the Ex- 
ample, readily acknowledging, that 
they had indeed preserv'd the State. 
This is known by all; but 'twill 
hardly be believed, though it be too 
true, what our very Enemies them- 
selves have an Hundred times told us ; 
and which the sequel has but too 
shrewdly confirmed, that this was 
precisely the principal and most es- 
sential Cause of our Ruin, and of all 
the Mischiefs which we have since 
suffer'd ; For endeavours were used to 
envenom all these important Services 
in the King's and his Ministers' 
minds, by perswading them, that if 
on this Occasion this Party could 
preserve the State, this sheweth they 
could likewise have overthrown it, 
had they ranked themselves on the 
other side? and might still easily do 
it if such a like Occasion should 
again offer itself. That therefore 
this party must by all means be 
crush'd, and the good they have done 
utterly disregarded, and look't on 
only, as an Indication of the Evil 



Protestants of France. 59 

which they may one Day be capable 
of doing. 

Now, that this way of reasoning 
which refines upon all that is most 
malicious and Diabolical, and pro- 
ceeds, even so far as to hinder the 
Subjects from discharging their Duty 
to their Sovereign for fear of drawing 
on themselves thereby Punishments 
instead of the Recompenses which 
they might reasonably expect, should 
be relished as a piece of most excel- 
lent Policy, is that, which we could 
never have thought, had we not been 
convinced by experience; For as 
soon as the Kingdom was settl'd in 
Peace, the design of destroying the 
Reformed was resolv'd on, and the 
better to make 'em comprehend that 
their Loyalty had ruin'd them, those 
Cities which had shewed most of it, 
were first begun with. Immediately 
then, on slight pretenses, they fell 
furiously on RocheL, Montaubau, and 
Millau, these three towns, where 
those of the Reformed Religion had 
most signalized themselves for the 
Interests of the Court; Rocket undtY- 



6o The Complaiftis of the 

went an incredible number of Pro- 
scriptions, Moiitaubau and Millau 
were sack'd by the Soldiers. 

But these being but particular 
stroaks and meer Preludes as it were, 
which decided nothing; They tarried 
not long before they made appear 
the great and general Machines, they 
were to use in the carrying on of 
their intended design to the last ex- 
tremity. It would be too difHcult a 
matter to give an exact Account of all 
these several Methods and Engines, 
the number of them was so prodig- 
iously multiplied : For never did Hu- 
mane Malice before produce such a 
Fertil Crop of them, every Day bring- 
ing forth new ones for Twenty Years 
together, and the Fund thereof all the 
while never exhausted. To take only 
notice therefore of the Chief of them, 
and such as were most obvious to every 
Eye ; they may be reduced to these 
Six Orders, i. Those which relate 
to the vexatious Suits and Trials in 
the ordinary course of Judicature. 2. 
Those which concern the Deprivation 



Protestants of France. 6 1 

from all kinds of Offices and Employ- 
ments, and from all other ways of 
Subsistance. 3. The Infractions of 
the Edict of Nantes, under the Notion 
and Title of Explications. 4. New 
Laws and new Regulations. 5. 
Juggling contrivances and tricking 
Amusements. 6. And lastly, those 
which had for their end the animating 
of People, and inspiring them with 
hatred and animosity against us. 
These are the most considerable 
means which the Persecutors have 
employed to attain their Ends, and 
the Paths which thev have chosen to 
tread in for several Years ; / say for 
several Years, for what they had in 
Prospect being no easy matter, they 
needed therefore time to order their 
Engines, and dispose their Materials; 
not to take notice of their Traverses 
also, and Interruptions by some 
Foreign Wars, whose success did not 
a little contribute to blow up their 
courage, and to confirm them in 
the design which they had formicd 
ao:ainst us. 



62 The Complaints of the 

* The First of these 
^ First Method ^gans has had an al- 

of Fersecution. , 

most infinite extent, as 
would easily appear if we should 
make a recital of all the Condemna- 
tions of Churches, or Suppressions 
of the Exercises of Religion, with all 
the other Vexations which have been 
brought about by the establishing of 
Commissioners of both Religions. 

This Appointment of Commission- 
ers out of both the Religions was a 
Snare the most Dextrously contriv'd 
that could be, for, immediately after 
the Pirenean Treaty, the King under 
pretense of redressing the Contraven- 
tions against the Edict of Nantes^ es- 
tablish'd them in the several Provinces. 
The Roman Catholic Commissioner 
was every where his Majesty's In- 
tendant; who was to be sure a fit 
Man for the purpose, arm'd with all 
the regal Authority, and well in- 
structed in the Secret. The other, 
was either some hungry Officer a 
Pensioner to the Court, or at best 
some Poor Gentleman, who had usu- 



Protestants of France. 63 

ally neither the Understanding requi- 
site in these sorts of Affairs, nor the 
Liberty of Speaking his Mind. The 
Clergy who had set them up, were 
the Spring that made them move or 
lie still at pleasure. The Syndicks 
were received before them as formal 
Parties in all our Affairs ; the Assign- 
ations were given in their Name, the 
Persecutions also, and as well the 
Judgments of the Commissioners 
when they were divided, as the Ap- 
peals from their Ordinances, were fi- 
nally to be decided in the King's 
Council. 

Thus in general all the Priviledges 
of the Churches, as well with Relation 
to the Exercise of Religion, the 
places of Publick Worship, and the 
Rights of Burial, as all other depend- 
encies were called in Question, and 
consequently exposed to the fresh 
Pursuits of the Clergy, and the ill In- 
tention of the Judges. In which 
there was not the least spark of 
Equity, for the Edict having been 
once executed, according to the In- 



64 The Complaints of the 

tention of him that gave it, there 
needed no second touches ; it being 
moreover wholly unlikely those of the 
Reformed Religion, who had been 
ever in the Kingdom the suffering- 
Party, could usurp anything therein, 
and extend its Limits beyond wdiat 
belonged to them. But the providing 
against the Contraventions was the 
least of their Intention; and there- 
fore by this Order, the greatest part 
of the Churches, cited for the Justify- 
ing of their Rights, saw themselves 
soon condemned one after another, 
by Decrees of Council, how good and 
sufficient soever their Titles and De- 
fences were. Scarcely passed there 
a Week, wherein these kind of De- 
crees were not made; and if it so 
happen'd that at any time the Judges 
for very shame, saved any of them, 
through the great Evidence of their 
Right, as this sometimes happened ; 
besides that the number was small in 
com.parison of those that were con- 
demned, the Judges often received ex- 
press Orders to pass Sentence against 



Protestants of France. 65 

them, when they declared they could 
not do it with a safe conscience. 

But the Oppressions of this kind 
did not terminate in the bare Con- 
demnation of Churches; for particu- 
lar Persons bore likewise their part. 
In ordinary and Civil Affairs, where 
the Matter was concerning, Meunt 
and Tuum as perhaps a piece of 
Land, an House or a Debt between a 
Roman Catholick and a person of the 
Reformed Religion, Religion was al- 
ways one of the chief Heads of the 
Accusation, The Monks, the Mis- 
sionaries, the Confessors, and all the 
whole tribe of that Crew, interested 
themselves in the Affair. And in 
Courts of Justice all the cry was ; T 
Plead against an Heritick, 1 have to 
do with a Man of a Religion odious 
to the State, and which the King is 
resolved to extirpate. 

By this means, there was very little 
Justice to be expected, few Judges 
were proof against this false Zeal, for 
fear of drawing the Fury of the whole 
Cabal against them, or passing for 



66 The Complaints of the 

favourers of Heriticks. 'Tis not to 
be imagined how many unjust Sen- 
tences these sorts of Prejudices have 
procur'd, in all the Courts of the 
Kingdom ; and how many families 
have been ruined by 'em. And 
whenever any one complained, the 
Answer w^as ready. You have the 
Remedy in your ozvn Hands ; zvky do 
yoiA, not turn Catholick? 

Yet all this had been nothing had 
the Persecution stopp'd here, and not 
proceeded to fasten on the Reputa- 
tion, the Liberty, and even the very 
Lives of Persons, by a general Inun- 
dation (as, one may term it,) of crimi- 
nal Processes and oppressive Trials. 
Orders w^ere Printed at Paris, and 
sent from thence to all Cities and 
Parishes of the Kingdom, which 
imoowered the Parochial Priests, 
Church-wardens and others, to make 
an exact inquiry into whatsoever any 
of the pretended Reformed might 
have done or said for Tv/enty Years 
past, as w^ell on the subject of Relig- 
ion, as otherwise, to make Informa- 



Protestants of France. 67 

tion of this before t\\^ Justices of the 
Place, and Punish them to the ut- 
most extremity. Thence have we 
seen for several Years in execution 
of these Orders, the Prisons and 
Dungeons every where fill'd with 
these kind of Criminals. Neither 
v/ere false Witnesses lacking; But 
that which v/as most detestable was, 
that though the Judges were sufficient- 
ly convinced they were Knights of the 
Post, yet they maintained them, and 
carry'd them through such Points, as 
they knew to be palpably false. 

Upon the Testimony of such Wit- 
nesses, and these too sufficiently 
known to be so, they frequently 
condemn'd the most Innocent and 
Worthiest Persons to be whipt, to the 
Galleys, to Banishment, and Amende 
Honourable, And if ever any Spark 
either of Honor or Conscience did at 
any time herein stop their hand, there 
was always however a full Impunity 
for those false Witnesses, 

This kind of Persecution fell chiefly 
on the Ministers ; for of a long time 
they might not Preach, without hav- 



68 The Complai7its of the 

ing for Auditors, or to speak better 
Observators, a Troop of Priests, 
Monks, and Missionaries, and such 
kind of People, who made no scruple 
to charge them with Words, which 
they not so much as thought of ; and 
to turn others into a quite contrary 
meaning. They also went so far as 
to divine the very Thoughts, that so 
they might charge them with Crimes; 
for as soon as ever any Minister 
spake but of Egypt, of Pharaoh, of 
the Israelites, of the Godly or the 
Wicked (as it was difficult not to 
speak of these Matters, when they ex- 
plained the Scripture) those Spies 
never failed to report, that by Egypt, 
and by the Wicked, they meant the 
Catho licks, by Pharaoh, the King, by 
the Israelites \\\^ pretended Reforr^ed. 
The Judges seemed to believe it, and 
fell in with it, and what is yet most 
surprising, the Ministers of State 
themselves respected these presump- 
tive Interpretations, as so many evi- 
dent Proofs. On these grounds, the 
Magistrates filled the Prisons with 
these poor People, keeping them 



Protestants of France. 6g 

therein for whole Years together and 
often inflicted on them also several 
corporal Punishments. 
*'Tis already seen by 
this first kind of Perse- * seamd Method 

. oj Ferseciition. 

cution, what were the 
Usao^es in France towards the Re- 
formed before they came to the ut- 
most Violence. But we shall see 
them appear more evidently, in what 
we have to add, touching the Priva- 
tion of OfHces and Employs, and in 
general of the m.eans of gaining their 
Livelihood; which is the second 
Way we mentioned, that has been 
used to effect their Ruine. 'Tis not 
hard to comprehend, that in a great 
Kingdom as France is, where the 
Protestants were dispersed, over all 
Parts, there was a vast Number, who 
could not subsist or maintain their 
Families, but by the Privilege of 
serving the Publick, either in Offices, 
Arts, Trades, or Faculties, each ac- 
cording to his respective Calling. 
Henry the Great was so well con- 
vinc'd of the Necessity and Justice of 
this, that he made it an express Arti- 



yo The Complaints of the 

cle, the most distinct perhaps and 
formal, of any contained in his Edict. 
And therefore in this Point the Per- 
secutors the most exerted themselves, 
and stuck at nothing to compass 
their End. 

'Twas in this View they - began 
with the Freedom of Companies and 
handicraft Trades ; - which under 
several pretences, they rendered al- 
most inaccessible to the Protestants, 
by the Difficulties of arriving to the 
Livery and Mastership of them, and 
by the excessive Expences, they must 
be at to be received into 'em ; There 
being no Candidate, but was forced, 
for this purpose to be at the charge 
of tedious and expensive Law-Suits ; 
under the Weight of which they were 
most commionly crushed. But this 
not sufficing by a Declaration made 
in 1 669, they were reduced to one third, 
in the Towns where the Protestants 
were more in number than the other 
Inhabitants ; and Orders were given 
not to receive any therein, till such 
Diminution was made: which at one 
Stroak excluded all the Pretenders. 



Protestants of France. 71 

Some time after they absolutely 
drove ail the reformed from the Con- 
sulships, and all other municipal Offi- 
ces of the Cities which was in effect, 
to deprive them of the Cognisance of 
their own Affairs, and Interests, 
wholy to invest the Catholicks with it. 

In 1680, the King issued out an 
Order, which deprived them in gen- 
eral, of all kind of Offices and Em- 
ploys, from the greatest to the smiall- 
est in his Farms and Revenues; they 
were made incapable so much as to 
exercise any Employ in the Custom- 
Houses, Guards, Treasury, or Post- 
Oflice, or even to be Messengers, 
Stage Coach Men, or Waggoners, or 
anything of this Nature. 

In the year 1681, by a Decree of 
Council, all Notaries, Attorneys, So- 
licitors, Pursuivants, and Sergeants, 
making Profession of the reformicd 
Religion w^re turned out and incapaci- 
tated throughout all the Kingdom. 

The next Year they turned out of 
Place all the Officers who w^ere 
Protestants belonging to the Nobility 



72 Tke Complaints of the 

and Gentry, particularly to the Judg- 
es: strictly prohibiting at the same 
time any of the said Lords and Gen- 
tlemen to employ them in their Ser- 
vice, or even so much as to call them 
in to assist them in difficult Cases, as 
Assessors, or to give them simply 
their Opinions in Matters of Law 
and Right, and this upon no other 
Account but that of their Relio^ion. 

In 1683, All Officers belonging to 
the King's Household, and those of 
the Princes of the Blood ; were also 
rendred uncapable of holding their 
Places, notwithstanding they were 
by Patent. The Counsellors and 
other Officers of the Court of Ayds, 
and Chambers of Accounts, and 
those of Seneshalships, Presidial 
Courts, Bayliwicks, and Royalties ; 
Those also of the Admiralties, Pro- 
vostships, and Marshalseas, with the 
Treasurers, Receivers and others who 
belonged to the Toll-Offices, and the 
publick Revenues, were ordered to 
quit their Places in Favour of the 
Roman Catholicks. 



Pi^otestaiits of France. 73 

In 1684, all Secretaries belonging 
to the King, or the great Officers of 
the Household or Crown of France, 
as well Titular as Honorary, and 
their Widows were by an Act of 
Revocation deprived of all their Priv- 
ileges of what Nature soever they 
were. They also deprived all those 
that had purchased any Privileges for 
exercising of any Profession, as Mer- 
chants, Surgeons, Apothecaries, Vint- 
ners, and all others, without exception. 

Nay, they proceeded to this Excess, 
that they would not suffer any Mid- 
wives of the Reformed Religion to do 
their Office, and expressly ordained 
that for the future, our Wives should 
not receive Assistance in Child-birth 
from any but Roman Catholicks. 

'Tis not to be exprest how many 
particular Persons, and Families they 
reduced every where, by these strange 
and unheard of Methods, to Ruine 
and Beggary. But because there 
were yet many who could sustain 
themselves other Methods of Oppres- 
sion must be invented. To this Pur- 
pose they issued out an Edict from 



74 ^-^'^ Complaints of the 

the Council, by which, the new Con- 
verts, as they call them, were dis- 
charged from any Payment of Debts, 
for three Years. This, for the most 
part, fell on the reformed, who, having 
had a more particular Tye of Interest 
and Affairs with these pretended Con- 
verts because of their Communion in 
Religion, were reckon'd among their 
chief Creditors. By this Invention 
they had found the Secret to recom- 
pense those that changed at the ex- 
pense of those that did not; and this 
they did likewise by another Decree; 
for they discharged the new Converts 
of all the Debts which those of the 
Protestant Relis^ion had contracted 
in common ; which by consequence 
fell on the others. 

Add to this, the Prohibition to 
sell or alienate their Estates, on any 
Pretence whatsoever, the King an- 
nulling and breaking all Contracts, 
and other Acts relating to that Mat- 
ter, if it did not appear, that after 
these Acts, they had stayed in the 
Kingdom a whole Year: so that the 
last Remedy of helping themselves 



Protestants of France. 75 

by disposing of their Estates in ex- 
tream Necessity, was taken from 
them. They deprived them likewise 
of another which seemed the only one 
remaining, which was, that of seeking 
their Bread elsewhere, by retiring into 
foreign Countries, there to get their 
Living by Labour, since this was not 
permitted them in Fraitce ; by repeat- 
ed Edicts the King forbad them to 
leave his Kingdom, on severe Penal- 
ties, which drove them to the last De- 
spair, since they saw themselves re- 
duced to the horrible Necessity of 
Dying with Hunger in their own 
Country, without daring to go to 
live elsewhere. But the cruelty of 
their Enemies stopt not here, for there 
yet remained some Gleanings in the 
Provinces, though very few, and as 
thin as those in Pharaolis Dream. 
The Intendants in their Districts 
had Order to Load the Reformed 
with Taxes ; which they did, either 
by lading upon them the Tax of the 
Nezv Catholicks, who were discharged 
thereof in favour of their Conversion, 
or by laying Arbitrary Taxes, which 



76 The Complaints of the 

were called Taxes of Offices. That 
is to say, he who in the Ordinary 
Roll was assessed at Forty or Fifty 
Livres, was charged by this exhorbi- 
tant Imposition at Seven or Eight 
Hundred. Thus had they nothing 
more left, for all was a Prey to the 
Rigour of the Intendants. They ex- 
acted the Payment of those Taxes by 
Quartering of Dragoons, or Rigourous 
Imprisonment; from whence they 
were not freed till they had pay'd the 
utmost Farthing. 

These were the Two First Ma- 
chines which the Clergy made use of 
against us : To which they added 
a * Third, which we 

* 7;/w Method Yi^^^ term.ed the Infrac- 

of Fersectdton. , 7— r • 

tion or the Edict of 
Nantes, under pretence of Explica- 
tion. Those who would know their 
Number and Quality, need only Read 
the Books Written and Publisli'd on 
this subject, as well by the Jesuit 
Meynier, an Author, famous for his 
Cavilings, as by one Fillau of Poi- 
tiers, and Bernard, an Officer in the 
Presidial Court of Besiers in Langue- 



Protestants of France. 77 

doc. There you will find all the 
Turns, which the meanest and most 
unworthy Sophistry, could invent to 
elude the clearest Texts of the Edict, 
and to corrupt the sincerity thereof. 
But because we here give you only, a 
brief Abstract of our Troubles, and 
the Molestation we met with, we will 
content ourselves, wdth observing 
some few of the principal only, issuing 
from this Fontain. 

What was there, for Example, more 
clear and unquestionable in the Edict 
than this, viz. That 'twas given with 
an intention to maintain those of the 
Reformed Religion, in all the Rights 
that Nature and Civil Society have 
endued Mankind withal? To argue 
thereupon would be but meer Trifling, 
and yet under pretence that the Edict 
contained not in Express Words, that 
the Natural Children should be left 
under the Tuition of their Fathers 
and Mothers to be brought up by 
them in their own Religion; the King 
without any regard, that this is one of 
the first and most Inviolable Rights 



yS The Co77zplatnts of the 

of human Nature, and as if the Edict 
aforesaid had made no Provision 
thereupon, by a Declaration of Janu- 
ary 1682. Ordained that ail Natural 
Children of either Sex, and of what 
Age and Condition soever, should be 
Instructed and Educated in the Ro- 
man Catholick Religion. It is very 
important in this place to take notice 
of the Words, 0/ what Age soever they 
be. For that gave Birth to a World of 
Persecution, since the Adversaries 
were not content to use this Order 
with restriction to the time to come, 
but all Natural Children Vv^ere enquir- 
ed after. Among whom were some 
of at least Four score Years of h^'^, 
that had passed all their Life in the 
Protestant Religion, who by virtue 
of this Order w^ere Imprison'd and 
grievously Oppress'd uppon the sup- 
position that they were obliged to be 
Catholicks by their birth. 

Nor must it be omitted that in the 
Year 1683, there cam.e out an Edict, 
that Children might at the Age of 
Seven Years, Abjure the Reformed 



Protestants of France. 70 

Re]iq;iori, and Embrace the Catholick 
under pretence, that the Edict did 
not precisely mention, that at this 
Age they should continue at their 
Parents Disposal. Who sees not that 
this was a meer Fetch, seeing that on 
one Hand, the Edict positively Pro- 
hibited to take awav Children from 
their Parents by force, or persuation, 
by which it was undoubtedly meant 
till Age of Discretion or Maturity 
should Emancipate them; And on 
the other hand it suppos'd, and con- 
firm'd all the Natural Rights, of 
which without Controversie, this is 
one of the most inviolable. 

Was there ever also a more mani- 
fest Infraction of tlie Edict, than that, 
which forbad those of the Protestant 
Religion, w^ho had passed over to the 
Roman, to return to that they had 
left, under pretext, that the Edict did 
not formally give them in express 
terms this liberty? For when the 
Edict permits to all the Kings Sub- 
jects in general Liberty of Con- 
science, and forbids the perplexing or 



8o The Complaints of the 

troubling them, or offering any Force, 
contrary to this Liberty ; Who sees 
not, that this Exception touching the 
pretended Reiapsers, is so far from 
being an Explication of the Edict, that 
'tis indeed a notable Violation of it ? 

Where-unto we may add the Pro- 
hibition to the Roman Catholicks not 
to change their Religion, and em- 
brace the Reformed. For when the 
Edict gives Liberty of Conscience, it 
does it in proper Terms. For all 
those who are, and shall be, of the 
said Religion. Yet if we believe the 
Clergy, this was not Henry the Great's 
meaning, who according to them must 
have intended only to grant it to those, 
who made Profession of it, at the 
time of the m.aking his Edict. 

The Edict of Nantes gave also to 
the Reformed, the Privileges of keep- 
ing small Schools in all places where 
they had the Exercise of their Relig- 
ion, and by this Term of small or lit- 
tle Schools, according to the common 
explication, those were always Under- 
stood where one might Teach Latin 



Protestants of France. 8 1 

and Humanities. This is the Sense 
which has been evei* given all over 
the Kingdom, to this expression ; and 
which is still given when it concerns 
Roman Catholicks, yet by a new sort 
of Interpretation, this Permission was 
restrained to the bare Liberty of 
Teaching to Read, and Write, and 
cast Accounts, as ii: the Reformed 
were unworthy of Learning anything 
further, and this on purpose to tire 
out the Parents, and drive them to 
this extremity, either not to know 
how to Breed up their Children, or 
else be forced to send them to the 
Roman Catholicks for Education. 

The Edict gave them Power 
in all Places where they had 
Churches, to instruct publickly 
their Children, and others, in all 
what concerns Religion^ which vis- 
ibly establish'd the Right of teaching 
'Theology ; seeing their Theology is 
nothing else but their Religion, and 
as to Colleges, wherein they might 
be instructed in Philosophy and other 
liberal Sciences, which is properly 



82 The Co77tplai7tts of the 

called a College, the Edict promis'd 
Letters Patent in good form. Yet 
'twas interpreted that the Edict gave 
no Right to the Reformed to instruct 
them in Divinity, nor to have Col- 
leges; and on this supposition it was, 
that Three Universities were con- 
demned, which were all that remained, 
viz. Saumur, Puilaurans, and Die : 
That of Sedan, although founded on 
a particular Edict, v/as supprest as 
well as the rest, and even before them. 
But amongst all the Infractions of 
the Edict of this sort, there has been 
none more solemn or more daring 
than the annulling or abolishing of 
the Courts of Justice, which had been 
granted by Henry the Great as a per- 
petual Establishment, with an equal 
number of Judges of both Religions, 
for administring Justice without Prej- 
udice or Partiality, and for causing 
his Edict to be religiously observ'd. 
Nevertheless under Pretence that it 
was said that the Two Courts estab- 
lished at Castres and Bourdeaux 
might be incorporated with their 



Protestants of France. 83 

Parliaments, when the Reasons that 
had moved his Majesty to have them 
separated, should cease. The pres- 
ent King by his Edict supprest also 
those of Paris and Rotten, and then 
by another soon after those of Greno- 
ble^ Toulouse^ and Bourdeaux. Leav- 
ing by this means his Protestant 
Subjects expos'd to the Rage and 
Injustice both of the Parliaments, 
and other inferiour Courts, insomuch 
that it is not to be conceived what 
Vexations they have hence endured 
both as to their publick and private 
Concerns. 

But we must go further, and seeing 
we have undertaken to shew in this 
Abridgment, the principal things 
they have done to exercise our Pa- 
tience, before they came to the ut- 
most Fury : We are not to pass over 
the new Orders, * or new 
Laws, which were as many * ^f^/"""^^^' 

' . J Method of Per- 

ne w I nventions to torment secuuon. 
us. The first of these 
Orders which appear'd was touching 
the manner of Burials and Interring 



84 The Complaints of the 

the Dead. The Number of Attend- 
ants were reduc'd to Thirty Persons, 
in those Places where the Exercise 
of our Religion was actually Estab- 
lished, and to Ten where it was not. 
And the like Regulations as to Num- 
ber were afterwards made as to most 
other occasions which we might 
have for meeting together about 
our Affairs, 

Orders were also issued out to 
hinder the Communications of Prov- 
inces one with another, by Circular 
Letters or otherwise, though about 
Matters of Alms, and Disposal of 
Charity, Prohibitions were likewise 
made of holding Colloquies in the 
interval of Synods ; excepting in two 
Cases, the Providing for Churches 
destitute by the decease of their 
Ministers, and for the Correction of 
certain Scandals. They likewise 
took away from those Places allowed 
by the Edict, which they call'd Ex- 
ercises in Fief^ all the Marks of 
Public Religious Exercise, as the 
Bell, the Pulpit, and other things of 



Protestants of France. 85 

this nature. They were likewise 
forbidden to receive those Ministers 
in Synods to Vote, or to Register 
them in the Catalogue of those that 
belong to Churches. 

The Ministers in general were for- 
bidden to take on them the Title of 
Pastors, or any other, beside that of 
Minister of the Pretended Reformed 
Religion. Others forbad the Singing 
of Psalms in Private Houses ; Some 
too commanded them to cease Sing- 
ing, even in their Churches when the 
Sacrament pass'd by, or at the time 
of any Procession, Others were 
made to hinder Marriages, at such 
times as were forbidden by the 
Church of Rome. Others forbad 
Ministers to preach anywhere, except 
in the place of their usual Residence. 
Others forbad their sethng in Places 
unless sent by the Synods, though the 
Consistories should call them hither 
in due form. Others were made to 
hinder the Synods from sending to 
any Churches more Ministers, than 
were there in the preceeding Synod. 



86 The Complaints of the 

Others to hinder those that design'd 
for the Ministry, to be Educated in 
Foreign Universities. Others Ban- 
isht all Foreign Ministers, though 
they had been Ordained in the King- 
dom, and spent there the greatest 
part of their Lives. Others forbad 
Ministers, or Candidates for the Min- 
istry, to reside in Places where Preach- 
ing was forbidden, or nearer than Six. 
Leagues of the same. Others for- 
bad the People to Assemble in the 
Churches, under pretence of Praying, 
Reading or Singing of Psalms, except 
in the presence of a Minister appoint- 
ed by the Synod. One ridiculous 
one was made to take away all the 
Backs of the Seats in the Churches, 
so to reduce them all to an exact 
Uniformity. Another, to hinder the 
Churches that were somewhat Rich- 
er, to assist the Weaker either 
towards the Maintenance of their 
Ministers, or other Necessities. 

Another was made to oblige Par- 
ents to give their Children, who 
should change their Religion, great 



Protestants of France. 87 

Pensions. Another to forbid Mar- 
riage betwixt Parties of different Re- 
ligions, even in the case of scandal- 
ous Cohabitation. Another to Pro- 
hibit those of the Reformed Religion, 
from that time, to entertain in their 
Houses any Domesticks, or Servants, 
that were Roman Catholicks. Anoth- 
er which made them uncapable of 
being Named Trustees or Guardians. 
And consequently put all the Mi- 
nors, whose Fathers Dyed in the 
Profession of the Protestant Relig- 
ion, under the Power and Education 
of Roman Catholicks. Another for- 
bidding Ministers and Elders to hin- 
der any of their Flocks, either direct- 
ly or indirectly from embracing the 
Roman Religion, or to dissv/ade 
them from it. Another forbidding 
Jews and Mohametans to embrace 
the Reformed Religion, and the Min- 
isters either to Instruct, or receive 
them into it. Another subjecting Sy- 
nods to receive such Roman Catho- 
lick Commissio7iers as should be sent 
them from the King, with an express 



88 The Complaints of the 

Order to do nothing but in their 
Presence. Another forbidding the 
Consistories to assemble oftener than 
once a Fortnight, and then always in 
the presence of a Catholick Commis- 
sioner. Another forbidding the Con- 
sistories to assist, on pretence of 
Charity the poor Sick Persons of 
their Religion ; and ordaining that 
the sick should be carried into the 
Hospitals, strictly forbidding any 
Man to entertain them in their 
Houses. Another Confiscating in 
favour of the Hospitals, all the Lands, 
Rents, and other Profits of what na- 
ture soever, which might any Wise 
have appertained to any of the con- 
demned Churches. And another for- 
bidding Ministers to come nearer 
than Three Leagues to the Place 
where the Privileges of Preaching 
were in question or so much as con- 
tested. Another Confiscated to the 
use of the Hospitals all the Reve- 
nues, and Rents, set apart for the 
Maintenance of the Poor, even in 
such Places where the Churches were 



Protestants of France. 8g 

yet standing. Another subjecting 
Sick and Dying Persons to the ne- 
cessity of receiving Visits from Judg- 
es, Commissaries, or Church-War- 
dens ; as well, as from Parish Priests, 
or their Curates, Monks, Missiona- 
ries, or other Ecclesiastics ; thereby 
to induce them to change their Re- 
ligion, or require of them express Dec- 
larations concerning it. Another for- 
bidding Parents to send their Children 
under Sixteen Years of Age to Trav- 
el in Foreign Countries on any Pre- 
tence whatever. Another prohibiting 
Lords and Gentlemen to continue the 
Publick Exercise of Religion in their 
Families without first producing their 
Titles before the Commissioners, and 
obtaining their License for the same. 
Another which restrained the Right 
of Entertaining a Minister to those 
only, who were in possession of their 
Lands, even since the Edict of Nan- 
'tes, in a direct or collateral Line. 
Another which forbad the Bailywick 
Churches to receive into them any of 
another Bailyzvick, Another which 



go The Complaints of the 

enjoined Phisicians, Apothecaries, and 
Chirurgions, to advertise the Par- 
ish Priests, or Magistrates, of the con- 
dition of Sick Protestants that they 
might visit them. 

But amongst ail these new Laws, 
those which have most served the De- 
sign and Intention of the Clergy have 
been, on one Hand, such, as Prohib- 
ited the receiving into their Assem= 
blies any of those who had changed 
their Religion, or their Children, or 
any Roman Catholick of what A^t^ 
Sex or Condition soever, under pain 
of forfeiting their Churches, and the 
Ministers diOm^ Amende Honourable^ 
with Banishment and Confiscation of 
their Estates ; and on the other hand 
such, as that which enjoined the set- 
ting up in all the Protestant Churches 
a particular Bench for the Catholicks 
to sit on ; For by this means, as soon 
as any one, but resolved to change his 
Religion, there needed no more but 
to make him do it in private, and then 
to find him next morning in the 
Church, there to be observed by the 



Protestants of France. gi 

Catholicks, who were in their seat ; 
Upon which immediately Informa- 
tions were constantly made, and Con- 
demnations procured according to all 
the Rigour of the Law. The Roman 
Cathoticks needed only to come into 
the Church under pretence the}^ had 
a place there, and then they slipt in 
amongst the Crowd, and immediately 
this was a Contravention, to the Dec- 
laration, and was followed by an un- 
avoidable Condemnation. 'Tis by 
this means they have destroyed an in- 
credible number of Churches, and 
put into Irons a great many Innocent 
Ministers, for Villains and False Wit- 
nesses were never wanting on those 
occasions. 

*A11 those Proceed- 
inp:s were so violent, * Fifth Method 

c> ' of FersectiUo7i. 

that they could not but 
make a strange impression on the 
Minds of the Reformed ; And indeed 
a very little stock of Penetration was 
sufficient to discern the Drift and . 
Design of such ways. And in effect 
there were many of them that opened 



g2 The Complaints of the 

their Eyes and bethought themselves 
seriously of their safety, by leaving 
the Kingdom ; transporting them- 
selves some into one Kingdom, and 
some into another, according as their 
several Inclinations led them. But 
this was what the Court no wise in- 
tended, for more than one reason ; 
and therefore to hinder them, they 
renewed from time to time, the De- 
crees we have mentioned, which 
strictly Prohibited, under the most 
severe Penalties, any to depart the 
Realm without Leave ; And to this 
End they strictly guarded all Pas- 
sages on the Frontiers. But all these 
Precautions did not Answer their 
Expectations ; And 'twas thought 
worth their while to Blind the People, 
by hopes of abating this rigourous 
usage at Home, and hiding from 'em 
the mighty Design they had in View; 
And to that End in 1669, the King 
was persuaded to Revoke several Vi- 
olent Decrees, formerly given in Coun- 
cil, which produced the desired effect. 
For though the Judicious -saw well 



Protestants of France. 93 

enough that this Moderation sprang 
not from a Right Principle ; and that, 
in the Sequel, the Former Decrees 
were put in Execution ; yet the most 
part imagined they would still Confine 
themselves within some Bounds, and 
not pass to a total destruction of us. 
We have often Drawn the same 
Conclusions from the several Verbal 
Declarations, which came many times 
from the King's own Mouth, as that 
he pretended not to indulge us, but 
would do us perfect Justice, and per- 
mit us to enjoy the Benefits of the 
Edicts in their full Extent. And 
that although he should be very glad 
to see all his Subjects Re-united to 
the Catholick Religion, and would 
for the effecting thereof contribute all 
his Power, there should yet be no 
Blood shed during his Reign, nor any 
Violence exercis'd on this account. 
These precise and often reiterated 
Declarations, gave us hopes the 
King Vv^ould not forget them ; 
and that especially in Essential 
Matters he would suffer us to en- 



g4 ^/^^ Complaints of the 

joy the effects of his Equity. 
This we were the more induced to 
believe from a Letter he Wrote to His 
Electoral Highness of Brandenbourg^ 
the Copies of which the Ministers of 
State took care to Disperse through 
the whole Kingdom. Wherein his Maj- 
esty assured him, that he was so well 
satisfied with the Behavior of his Prot- 
estant Subjects, and that having en- 
gaged his Royal Word to maintain 
them in their Rights and Privileges, 
his Intention was to let them enjoy 
the same, from whence we Drew this 
Natural Conclusion ; that he intended 
not utterly to Extirpate us at that time. 
To which we may add the Manage- 
ments sometimes used in the Council, 
where some Churches were preserved, 
at the same time others were ordered 
to be demolished, to make the World 
believe, they observed some measures 
of Justice ; and that those which they 
condemned, were consequently not 
grounded on good Titles. Some 
timxes they softened several too rigour- 
ous Decretal Orders of the Provin- 



Protestants of France. 95 

cial Parliaments ; Other times they 
seemed not to approve of the Violen- 
ces offered by the Intendants and in- 
feriour Magistrates, so far as even to 
give Orders to moderate or suspend 
them. And accordingly they hinder- 
ed the execution of a certain Decree 
made in the Parliament of Rouen, 
which enjoined those of the Reformed 
Religion to kneel when they met the 
Host. Thus did they stop too ; the 
Persecutions of a Puny Judge at 
Ckaranton^ who ordered us to strike 
out of our Liturgy a Prayer composed 
for the Faithful, that groaned under 
the Ty7^a7iny of Antichrist. 'Tis thus 
also, that they did not extreamly fa- 
vour another Persecution, which be- 
gan to be general in the Kingdom 
against the Ministers, under pretence 
of obliging 'em to take an Oath of 
Allegiance, wherein other Clauses 
were incerted, contrary to what Min- 
isters owe to their Charges and Re- 
ligion. 'Twas thus likewise they 
suspended the execution of some 
Edicts, which themselves had made, 



g6 The Complaints of the 

as well to compel the Ministers to 
pay taxes as to oblige them to reside 
constantly in the Place where they ex- 
ercis'd their Function. With the 
same design the Svndicks of the 
Clergy, had the Art to let the princi- 
pal Churches of the Kingdom alone 
for many Years, without disturbing 
their Assemblies ; whilst in the mean 
time they took away all those in the 
Country. They suspended also the 
condemnation of the Universities, 
and reserved 'em for the last. It 
w^as also in this view that at 
Court, they seemed at first not able 
to believe, and at last not to ap- 
prove, of the excesses, which were 
committed in Poitou by one Maril- 
lac, an Intendant of that Province, a 
Man both cruel and greedy to the 
highest degree; and fitter much to be 
sent in the Highway, than to be 
made Intendant of a Province ; 
though indeed he was let loose, on 
purpose for these Exploits. 

But amongst all these tricking 
ways, there are none more remarka- 



Protestants of France. gj 

ble, than Five or Six, which it will not 
be improper here to relate. The 
First was, That at the very time, 
when at the Court they issued out all 
the Decrees, Declarations, and Edicts, 
which we have before spoken of, and 
which they caused to be put in Exe- 
cution with the greatest Rigour ; Nay 
while they Interdicted the Churches, 
Demolish'd the Temples, deprived 
Particular Persons of their Offices 
and Employments, reduced People to 
Poverty and Hunger, Imprison'd 'em, 
Loaded 'em with Fines, Banish'd 'em, 
and in a word, ravaged almost all ; 
yet at the same time the Intendants, 
Governours, Magistrates, and other 
Officers in Paris^ and over all the 
Kingdom, cooly and gravely gave out 
that the King had not the least inten- 
tion to touch the Edict of Nantes y 
but would still most Religiously ob- 
serve it. The Second vi2.^,\\\2X in the 
same Edict, which the Kingpublish'd 
to forbid Roman Catholicks to em- 
brace the Reformed Religion, which 
was in the Year 1682. (That is to 



The Complaints of the 

say, at a time when they had already 
greatly advanced the Work of our 
Destruction,) they caused a formal 
Clause to be inserted in these express 
Terms, That he confirmed the Edict 
of Nantes^ as much as it was^ or 
should be needful. The Third was, 
that in the Circular Letters which the 
King wrote to the Bishops and In- 
tendants, to oblige them to signifie 
the Pastoral Admonitions of the 
Clergy, to our Consistories, he tells 
them in so many words. That his 
Intention was not that they should do 
anything that might attempt^ upon 
what had been granted to those of the 
Pretended Reformed Religion, by the 
Edicts and Declarations m^ade in their 
favour. The Fourth, that by an ex- 
press Declaration published about 
the latter End of the Year 1685, the 
King commanded that the Ministers 
should not reside in the same Church, 
above the space of Three Years, nor 
return to the first within the space of 
Twelve; and that they should be thus 
Translated from Church to Church, 



Protestants of France. gg 

at least Twenty Leagues distant from 
one another; supposing by a mani- 
fest Consequence that his Design was 
yet to permit the Exercise of Relig- 
ion, to the Ministers in the Kingdom 
for Twelve Years at least. Tho' in- 
deed they had at that Moment de- 
sign'd the Revocation of the Edict, 
and had resolved it in the Council. 
The Fifth consists in an Address 
presented to the King, by the Assem- 
bly of the Clergy at the same time, 
that an Edict to revoke that of Nan- 
tes^ was drawing up, and actually put 
into the hands of the Attorney Gen- 
eral to model it; and in the Decree 
which was granted on this address, 
the Clergy complained of the Misrep- 
resentations which the Ministers are 
wont to make of the Roman Church, 
to which they attribute, say they, 
Doctrines which they do not hold, 
and beseech'd his Majesty to provide 
against it, expressly declaring that 
they did not yet desire the Revocation 
of the Edict, upon which the King by 
his Decree peremptorily forbad the 
Ministers to speak either good or bad 



ICX) The Complaints of the 

directly or indirectly, of the Church 
of Rome in their Sermons, from 
whence it was natural for every one 
to conclude 'twas his Intention they 
should still preach. Were ever such 
pitiful and treacherous Shifts seen ! 
Or was there ever any greater than 
this which was put into the very 
Edict we are speaking of; The King 
after having cancell'd and annull'd the 
Edict of Nantes, and all that depended 
thereon ; and having interdicted for- 
ever all publick religious Exercises, 
after having forever banish'd all the 
Ministers from his Kingdom, yet ex- 
pressly declares, that his will is, that 
his other Subjects, who were not will- 
ing to change their Religion, might 
abide within the Realm in full Liberty, 
enjoy their Estates, and live with the 
same freedom as heretofore, without 
being at all molested on Account of 
their Religion ; till it should please 
God to enlighten and convert them. 
These were Amusements and Snares 
to trapan the simple and unwary, as 
it has since appeared, and still does 
more and more every day by the horri- 



Protestants of France. loi 

ble Usages they suffer, and of which we 
shall have occasion to speak hereafter. 

^ But we shall first 
mention another pre- ""Th^ sixth Method 

1 • 1 ^ Fersecutton. 

paratory Stroak which 
the Persecutors have not failed to 
make use of, which we have reckoned 
the sixth in order. It consists in dis- 
posing the People insensibly to desire 
our Destruction, to approve it when 
done, and to diminish in their Minds 
that Horror which they must natural- 
ly have had, at the Cruelties and Injus- 
tices of our Persecutors. For this pur- 
pose several Methods were used, and 
the commonest have been the Ser- 
mons of the Missionaries and other 
controversialPreacherSjWith which the 
Kingdom was for some Years stock'd 
under the Title of Royal Missions. 
It was ordinary to choose in France 
for this End the most virulent and 
hot-brain'd Zealots, who had such an 
Education given them, which far from 
making them moderate, rather enflam- 
ed them ; so that 'tis easy to appre- 
hend what Actors these were like to 



102 The Complaints of the 

be, when they not only found them- 
selves upheld but saw themselves 
moreover set on, and had express 
Orders given them to inspire their 
Hearers with Fury. And so well did 
they acquit themselves in this matter, 
that 'twas not their Fault if popular 
Commotions did not follow in the 
great Cities, even in Paris it self, had 
not the prudence of the Magistrates 
prevented them. 

To the Preachers we must joyn the 
Confessors and Directors of Con- 
science, the Monks, the Parish Priests, 
and in general, all Ecclesiasticks from 
the highest to the lowest ; for as they 
were not ignorant of the true Inten- 
tion of the Court in this Affair, every 
one would be striving who could 
show most Zeal, and Aversion to the 
Reformed Religion, because they all 
found their Interest therein ; this be- 
ing the readiest Way to raise and es- 
tablish their Fortunes. In this Design 
of animating the People, there past 
few Days wherein the Streets did not 
ring, as well with the Publication of 



Protestants of France. 103 

Decrees, Edicts, and Declarations 
against the Protestants, as also with 
satyrical and seditious Libels, of 
which the People in the Towns of 
France are very greedy. 

But these things served only for the 
meaner sort of People, and the Perse- 
cutors had the Mortification to see 
this their Design disapproved by all 
those who were one Degree above the 
Mob. Wherefore they imploy'd the 
pens of some of their Authors, who 
had already acquired some Reputation 
in the World; and amongst others 
that of the Author of the History of 
Theodosius the Great, and that of Mr, 
Maimbourg, heretofore a Jesuit. This 
last publish'd his History of Calvin- 
ism, which he has since had the leis- 
ure to repent of, by the smartest and 
weighty Answers which have been 
made to it. Their Example was fol- 
lowed by several others ; and Mon- 
sieur Arnand who loves always to 
make one in such Matters where he 
may vent his Spleen would not deny 
himself the satisfaction here, of pleas- 



104 ^'^^ Complaints of the 

ing his Humour ; and at the same 
time of endeavouring to recover the 
Favour he had lost at Court. But 
altho his Apology for the Catholicks, 
was a work as full of Fire and Passion 
as the Bigots themselves could have 
wish'd, vet was it not relish'd because 
his Person was not; he was so ill grat- 
ified for it, that he complained thereof 
to the Archbishop oiRheims in a Let- 
ter, the Copies whereof were dispersed 
all over Paris,2in\ongsi other things he 
exaggerated his Misfortune and com- 
pared himself with another, who for 
much less Service had received from 
the King a Reward of Twenty Thou- 
sand Livres. This more and more ex- 
pos'd the Character of the Person. 
However they stood in no great 
need of him, as not wanting vir- 
ulent Writers ; amongst whom we 
must not forget one Souldier, formerly 
(as they say) a Tailor, and at present 
Author of the History of the Edicts 
of Pacification ; nor Mr. Nicole oncQ 
a great fansenist, and now a Prose- 
lite of the Archbishop of Paris ; Au- 



Protestants of France. 105 

thor of the Book entitled, Protestants 
convinced 0/ Schism. Nor the Author 
of the journal des Savans, who in 
his ordinary Diaries fiercely contends 
for the Catholick Faith's being planted 
by Fire and Sword : alledging for the 
proof thereof the example of a King 
of Norway, who converted the Nobles 
of his Country by threatning them to 
slay their Children before their Eyes^ 
if they would not co7isent to have them 
baptized and be baptized themselves. 
And for a long while together we 
have seen in Parisy and elsewhere, 
nothing but such sort of writings : 
To such a Degree was their Passion 
heightened. 

Whilst all these things, which we 
have observed, were transacting in 
France, and they by great steps ad- 
vanced to their End; 

^ Tis not to be imagined that 
the Reformed nes^lected 

^, . T I ^ *TJie Methods 

their common Interests, t^ken by the Re~ 
or did not all that be- formed for their 

, -11 /•I Defence. 

came a just and lawful 

Defence. They frequently sent from 



Io6 The Complaints of the 

the remotest Provinces their Deputies 
to Court: They maintained their 
Rights before the Council; thither 
they brought their Complaints from all 
parts. They employed their Deputy 
General to solicit their Interests, as 
well with the Judges and Ministers of 
State, as with the King himself, some 
times also they presented general Ad- 
dresses, in which they represented 
their Grievances with all the Humility 
and Deference that Subjects owe to 
their Sovereign. But they were so far 
in this from being heard, that their 
Troubles were continually increased : 
and so their second Estate became 
worse than the first. The last Pe- 
tition presented to the King himself 
by the Deputy General in March 
1684, was express'd in Terms the most 
submissive, and the most capable of 
moving Pity, as every one may judge, 
it having been since printed ; and yet 
it produced no other Effect but the 
hast'ning on of what had been long 
resolve'd upon, namely by open force 
to compass our Ruine. 



Protestants of France. 107 

* This was effectual- 
ly brousfht about some \An account of 

_■'_ ^ . the Dragooning. 

Months after, and ex- 
ecuted in a manner so terrible and so 
outragious, that, as we said in the 
beginning, there are few in Europe^ 
how distant soever from the noise of 
the Public Occurrences who have not 
heard the Report of it ; but 'tis cer- 
tain the Circumstances are not Known 
to all, and therefore we shall- give an 
Account of them in few Words, 
were it but to stop or silence the 
Impudence of such who are not 
ashamed to publish, that no Violences 
have been committed in France, and 
that all the Conversions there have 
been made with free and full Consent. 
They forthwith took the Method of 
quartering Soldiers in all the Provin- 
ces almost at one and the same time, 
which were chiefly Dragoons that are 
generally the basest Troops of the 
Kingdom, and Fellows that will stick 
at nothing. Terror and Dread march- 
ed before them : and, as it was 
concerted, all France was in an in- 
stant filled with this News, that the 



Io8 The Complaints of the 

King would no longer suffer any Hu- 
guenots in his Kingdom ; and that 
they must resolve to change their Re- 
ligion, nothing being able to prevent it. 
They began with the Province of 
Beam, where the Dragoons did their 
Tirst Executions, which were followed 
soon after in the higher and lower 
Guienne, Xaintonge, Aunix^ Poitou^ 
the upper Languedoc, Vivarets, and 
Dauphine, after which they came 
to the Lioneois, the Cevennes^ the 
lower Languedoc, Provence, the Val- 
lees, and the Country of Gex; after- 
wards they fell on the rest of the 
Kingdom, Normandy, Burgundy, the 
Nivernois and Berry ; the Countries 
also of Orleans, Touraine, AnjoUy 
Britany, Champagne, Picardy, and 
the Isle of Fra^tce, even extend- 
ing to Paris itself, which have all 
undergone the same Fate. The first 
thing the Intendants were order'd to 
do, was to summon the Cities and 
Commonalities. They assembled the 
Inhabitants thereof, who profest the 
reformed Religion, and told them, 
'twas the King's Pleasure they should 



Protestants of France. 109 

without Delay turn Catholicks, which 
if they would not do freely, they 
should be made to do it by force. The 
poor People, surprised with such a 
Declaration, made Answer, Theywere 
ready to sacrifice their Estates and 
lives to the King, but their Conscien- 
ces being God^s they could not in that 
manner dispose of them. 

There needed no more to make 
them immediately bring the Dragoons, 
which were not far of, the Troops 
immediately seized on the Avenues 
and Gates of the Cities ; they placed 
Guards in all the Passages, and often 
enter'd with Sword in Hand, crying, 
Dye or be Catholicks: They were 
Quartered at Discretion on the Re- 
formed, with a strict charge, that none 
should depart out of their Houses, 
nor conceal any of their Goods or Ef- 
fects on great Penalties ; yea, even on 
the Catholicks, that they should either 
receive or assist 'em in any manner. 
They began with consuming all the 
Provisions the House afforded, and 
gutting them of all their Money, 



no The Complaints of the 

Rings, and Jewels ; and in fine, Bleed- 
ing them of whatsoever was most val- 
uable. After this they distrained the 
Household Goods, inviting not only 
the Catholicks of the Place, but also 
those of the neighboring Cities and 
Towns to come and Buy the said 
Goods, and other things that would 
yield Money. Afterwards they fell 
on their Persons, and there was no 
wickedness, or Horror, which they did 
not put in Practise, to force them to 
change their Religion. 

Amidst a Thousand hideous La- 
mentations and horrid Blasphemies, 
they hung Men and Women by the 
Hair of the Head, or the Feet to the 
Roofs of the Chamber, or to the Racks 
in the Chimneys, and there smoked 
*em with whisps of wet Hay, till they 
were no longer able to bear it; and 
when they took 'em down, if they 
would not sign, they hung 'em up im- 
mediately again. They pluck'd off the 
Hair of their Heads and Beards, with 
Pincers, till they left none remaining. 

They threw them on great Fires 



Protestants of France. Ill 

kindled on purpose, and pull'd them 
not out til they were half Roasted. 
They ty'd Ropes under their Arms, 
and Plung'd them again and again in 
Wells from whence they would not take 
them up, till they had promised to re- 
nounce their Religion. They bound 
them as they do Criminals, put to the 
Question; and in this Posture with a 
Funnel they poured Wine down their 
throats, till the fumes of it depriving 
them of their Reason, they were made 
to say they would consent to be 
Catholicks. They stript them naked, 
and after having offered them a Thou- 
sand infamous Indignities, they stuck 
them with pins from top to bottom. 
They lanc'd them with Pen-knifes, and 
sometimes with red hot Pincers, took 
them by the Nose, and so dragged 
them about the Room till they prom- 
ised to turn Catholicks, or till the 
Cries of those poor Wretches, that 
in this condition called on God for 
Assistance, constrained them to let 
'em go. They Bastinadoed them 
most cruelly, and then dragg'd them 



112 The Complaints of the 

thus Bruised to the Churches where 
this forced appearance of theirs was 
accounted an Abjuration; They kept 
them from Sleeping, Seven or Eight 
Days together, by relieving one 
another that they might Watch them 
Night and Day, and keep them still 
Waking: They some times threw 
Buckets of Water on their Faces ; 
They tormented them a Thousand 
ways, and held over their Heads Ket- 
tles turned downwards, whereon they 
made a continual Dinn, till these poor 
Creatures had even lost their Senses. 
If at any time they found any Sick 
Persons, either Men or Women, that 
kept their Beds, with Feavers or other 
Diseases, they had the Cruelty to 
bring a number of Drums, to Beat an 
Alarm about them for whole weeks to- 
gether, without any Intermission, till 
they should give their Word they 
would change. It has in some places 
happened, that they have tyed Fathers 
and Husbands to the Bed Posts, while 
before their Eyes they Ravished 
their Wives and Daughters without 



Protestants of France. 113 

even being brought to condign Punish- 
ment for it. They plucktoff the Nails 
from the Hands and Toes of some^ 
which was not to be endured without 
intolerable Torment. They Blew both 
Men and Women up with Bellows 
even till they were ready to burst. 
If after these horrid usages, there 
were yet any that refused to turn, 
they Imprisoned them ; and for this 
chose Dungeons the most Dark and 
Noysom, in which they exercised on 
them all sorts of inhumanity. In 
the mean time they demolished their 
Houses, desolated their Lands, cut 
down their Woods, and seized their 
Wives and Children to Imprison them 
in Monasteries. When the Soldiers 
had devour'd and consumed all that 
was in an House, the Royal Farmers 
furnished them with subsistence, and 
to reimburse themselves. Sold by Au» 
thority of Justice the Estates of such 
Gentlemen, and put themselves in 
Possession thereof. If some to secure 
their Consciences, and escape the 
Tyranny of these Merciless Men, en- 



114 '^^^ Complaints of the 

deavoured to save themselves by 
Flight, they were pursued and hunted 
in the Fields and Woods and shot at 
like Wild Beasts. In order to which 
the Provosts Patrolled upon the High 
Ways, and the Magistrates of Towns 
had orders to stop all them without 
exception, and bringing them back to 
the Places from whence they fled, they 
used them like Prisoners of War. 

But we must not fancy that this 
Storm fell only on the common sort, 
Noblemen and Gentlemen of the best 
Quality were not exempted from it. 
They had Soldiers Quartered upon 
them in the same manner, and were 
treated with the same fury as Citizens 
and Peasants were. They plundered 
their Houses, wasted their Goods, 
rased their Castles, cut down their 
Woods, forced away their Children, 
and their very persons were exposed 
to the Insolence and Barbarity of the 
Dragoons, no less than others. They 
spared neither Sex, Age, nor Quality, 
where ever they found any unwilling- 
ness to obey the Command of chang- 



Protestants of France. 115 

ing their Religion, they practised the 
same Violences. There were still re- 
maining some Officers belonging to 
the Parliaments, who underwent the 
same Fate, after having been first de- 
prived of their Offices; nay even the 
Military Officers, who were actually 
in Service, were ordered to quit their 
Post and Quarters, and repair imme- 
diately to their Houses there to suf- 
fer the like storm ; if to avoid it, they 
would not become Catholicks, Many 
Gentlemen and other Persons of 
Quality, and many Ladies of great 
Age, and of Ancient Families, see- 
ing all these Outrages, hoped to find 
some Retreat in Paris, or at Court; 
Never imagining the Dragoons would 
come to seek them out so near the 
King's Presence. But this hope was 
no less vain than all the rest, for im- 
mediately there was a Decree of Coun- 
cil, which commanded them to leave 
Paris and the Court within few 
Days, and to return without delay to 
their own Houses with a Prohibition 
to all Persons to entertain or Lodge 



1 16 The Complaints of the 

them in their Houses. Some having 
attempted to petition the King, 
complaining of these cruel Usages 
and humbly beseeching his Majesty 
to stop the Course of them, could 
obtain no other Answer, but that 
of being sent to the Bastille where 
they suffered the same Persecutions. 
Before we proceed any 
Six Remarks, furthcr, 'twill uot bc amiss 
to make here some re- 
marks; the first shall be, that almost 
every where, at the Head of these 
infernal Legions, besides the Com- 
manders and Military OfHcers, the 
Intendants and Bishops march'd 
every one in his Province or Diocese, 
with a Troop of Missionaries, Monks, 
and other Ecclesiasticks. 

The Intendants gave such Orders 
as they thought most effectual to 
carry on Conversions ; and to re- 
strain natural Pity and Compassion; 
if at any time it should find (which 
was not often) a Place in the Hearts 
of the Dragoons or of their Com- 
manders. And as for my Lords 



Protestants of France. 1 17 

Bishops, they were there to keep 
open House, to receive Abjurations, 
and to have a general and severe 
Inspection, that every Thing might 
pass according to the Intentions 
of the Clergy. The Missionaries 
and Ecclesiasticks were there to 
animate the Soldiers to such an 
Execution so agreeable to the 
Church, and so glorious to God and 
his Majesty. 

The second Thing observable is, 
that when the Dragoons had made 
any yield, by all the Horrors which 
they practiced, they immediately 
changed their Quarters, and sent 
them to those who still persever'd. 
This Order was strictly observ'd 
in this Manner, even to the End, 
insomuch that those who persever'd 
to the last, and had shewn the 
greatest Constancy, had at last the 
whole Number of the Dragoons, 
which at the beginning were dis- 
pers'd amongst all the Inhabitants 
equally, quarter'd upon them alone, 
which was indeed a Load impossible 
to be born. 



Il8 The Complaints of the 

A third Remark, which we shall 
make, is, that in almost all the con- 
siderable Cities and Towns, they 
took care before they sent Troops 
thither, to gain by means of the In- 
tendants or some other underhand 
Way, a certain Number of Persons 
not only to change their Religion 
themselves, when it should be re- 
quired ; but also to assist in pervert- 
ing others. So that when the Dra- 
goons had sufficiently play'd their 
Part, the Intendants with the Bishop, 
and the Commander of the Forces, 
would again assemble these misera- 
ble Inhabitants, that were now ut- 
terly ruin'd to exhort them to obey 
the King, and become Catholicks ; 
adding wathal the most terrible 
Threats that could be to over-awe 
them ; and then those they had 
before gain'd never fail'd to exe- 
cute what they had preingag'd, which 
they did with the more Success 
inasmuch as the People did as yet, 
put some kind of Confidence in them. 

A fourth Observation is, that when 



Protestants of France. I ig 

the Master of the House thinking to 
get rid of the Dragoons, had obey'd 
and sign'd what they would, he was 
not freed for all this, if his Wife, 
Children, or the meanest of his Do- 
mesticks did not do the same ; and if 
his Wife, or any of his Children, or 
Family fled, they ceas'd not torment- 
ing him, till he had made them re- 
turn : which often times being impos- 
sible, the change of his Religion did 
not at all avail him. 

The fifth is, that when these poor 
Wretches fancied their Consciences 
might be at rest, by signing some 
Form of an equivocal Abjuration, 
which was so tender'd on purpose, to 
ensnare them, these Villains would 
in some short time after come to 
them again, and make them Sign one 
sufficiently strong and binding, which 
drove them into the utmost Despair. 
Nay farther, they had the Baseness 
to make 'em declare, that they em- 
braced the Romish Religion of their 
own full and free Consent without 
having been won to it by any indirect 



120 The Complaints of the 

or violent means. If after this they 
scrupl'd to go to Mass, or did not 
communicate, if they did not assist 
at Processions, or omitted going to 
Confession, if they did not tell over 
their beads, or if a Sigh slip'd from 
them, signifying their unwillingness 
they had immediately Fines laid on 
'em and were forc'd to receive again 
their old Guests the Dragoons, 

The sixth and last remark is. As 
fast as the Troops ravaged in this 
manner the Provinces, spreading Ter- 
ror and Desolation in all Parts, Or- 
ders were sent to all the Frontiers and 
Seaport Towns, strictly to guard the 
Passes, and stop all such as pretended 
to escape out of the Kingdom; so that 
there was hardly any Hope for these 
poor Wretches, to save themselves by 
Flight, None being permitted to pass 
without having a certificate, either 
from his Bishop, or Curate, that he 
was a Catholick, those who had not 
were put in Prison, and used like 
Traytors. As for any Permission 
freely to depart, 'twas in vain to at- 



Protestants of France. I2I 

tempt it. That was constantly deni'd ; 
And all foreign Vessels lying in the 
several Ports were narrowly searched ; 
the Coasts, Bridges, Passages to Riv- 
ers, and the High-ways were all care- 
fully guarded, both Night and Day. 
And the Persecution was carry'd to 
that height, that some of the neigh- 
bouring States were requir'd not to 
harbour any more Refugees, and even 
to send back such as they had already 
received. Attempts were also made 
to seize on, and carry away some, who 
had escaped into foreign Countries. 
Whilst all this was now acting in 
the Kingdom, the Court was no less 
busy in consulting to give the finishing 
* Stroak ; which con- 
* The Revocation gistcd in riofQ'ins: out an 

of the Edict , ^O p 

of Nantes, tdict to repeal that of 

Nantes, Much Time 
was spent in drawing it up, both for 
Matter and Forrn, for some would 
have the King detain all the Minis- 
ters, and force them as well as the 
Laity to change their Religion, or 
else condemn them to perpetual Im- 



122 The Complaints of the 

prisonment. They alledged, that if 
that were not done, they would be as 
so many dangerous and inveterate 
Enemies against him, in foreign Na- 
tions. But others on the contrary a£- 
firm'd, that as long as the Ministers 
continued in France, their presence 
would encourage the People to perse- 
vere to the utmost in their Religion, 
whatsoever Care might be taken to 
hinder it; and that supposing they 
should change, they would be but as 
so many secret Adversaries, sheltered 
within the Bosom of the Romish 
Church, so much the m.ore dangerous 
as their Knowledge and Experience 
in controversial Matters was great. 
This last Reasoning prevailed, and so 
the resolution was taken to banish 
the Ministers, and to allow them no 
longer time than fifteen Days to de- 
part the Kingdom. And then the 
Draught thereof was deliver'd to the 
Attorney General, of the Parliament 
of Paris to draw it up in such Form, 
as he should judge most fitting. But 
before the publishing of it, two Things 
were thought necessary to be done; 



Protestants of France. 123, 

the first was to oblige the Assembly 
of the Clergy at their breaking up, to 
present to the King the above men- 
tion'd Address, in which they told 
his Majesty, they desired not for the 
present the repealing the Edict of 
Nantes, And the other was to issue 
out an Order of Council to suppress 
all kind of Books made by those 
of the reformed Religion, by the first 
of these, the Clergy thought to shel- 
ter themselves from the Reproaches,, 
which might be cast on them as the 
Authors of so many Miseries, Calam- 
ities, and Oppressions, as this Repeal 
would inevitably occasion. And by 
the other they pretended to make the 
Conversions, (as they styled them,) 
much more easy, and confirm those 
which had already been made, by tak- 
ing from the People all Books, which 
might either instruct, fortifie, or bring 
them back again. 

To conclude, this Revocative Edict 
of Nantes, was seal'd and publish'd 
on Thursday, the i8 of Oct, in the 
year 1685. The Court being then at 
Fontainbleati, 'Tis said Mounsieur 



124 The Complaints of the 

I^etelier the then Chancellor of France 
shew'd an extream Joy at the sealing 
it ; but that lasted not long, this be- 
ing the last time of his holding the 
Seals, for as soon as he return'd from 
Fontainbleau,\i^ fell immediately sick, 
and died within a few Days ; leaving 
both the reformed and others matter 
for Reflection on the Fate of the Per- 
secutors, into the Number of whom 
his Politicks rather than his natural 
Inclination had forc'd him in his latter 
Days. 

This Edict was registerd in the 
Parliament of Paris on Monday the 
2 2th following in the Vacation con- 
trary to all Form. And presently 
after it was passed in like manner in 
the other Parliaments. 

It contains in it, a Preamble and 
twelve Articles. In the Preamble the 
King shews how neither Henry the 
Great his Grandfather, did give the 
Edict, nor Lewis the XIII his father 
confirm it. by his other Edict of Nimes^ 
but with a Design of endeavouring 
more effectually the Reunion of their 



Protestants of France. 125 

Subjects of the pretended reformed 
Religion, to the Catholick Churchy 
and that this was also the very Design 
which he had himself at his first Ac- 
cession to the Crown. That he had 
been hindered in this by the Wars, 
which he was forced to carry on 
against the Enemies of his Crown and 
State; but that at present being at 
Peace with all the Princes of Europe^ 
he wholly gave himself to the bring- 
ing about this Reunion. That God 
had been graciously pleased to enable 
him to accomplish it, seeing the great- 
est and best Part of his Subjects of 
the said Religion had embraced the 
Catholick, these Edicts of Nantes and 
JS/imes with others were consequently 
become void and useless. 

By the Jlrst Article he therefore 
suppresses and repeals them in all 
their Extent ; and ordains that all the 
Protestant Churches yet standing in 
the Kingdom of France and in all the 
Countries, Territories, and Lordships 
under his Obedience should immedi- 
ately be demolished. By the Second 



126 The Complaints of the 

he forbids all Sorts of Assemblies for 
the Exercise of said Religion be they 
of what kind soever. The Third ^xo- 
hibits religious Exercise in the Fami- 
lies to all the Lords and Gentlemen 
of Quality, under penalty of corporal 
Punishment and Confiscation of their 
Estates. The Fourth banishes all 
the Ministers out of his Kingdom, 
and Territories thereto belonging, 
and enjoins them to depart thence 
within fifteen Days after the Publica- 
tion of this Edict under Pain of being 
sent to the Gallies. By the Jl/th and 
sixth he promises Rewards and Ad- 
vantages to the Ministers who should 
change their Religion, as also to their 
Widows after them. In the seventh 
and eighth. He forbids the instruct- 
ing of Children in the pretended re- 
formed Religion : and ordains that 
those who shall be born henceforward 
shall be baptiz'd, and educated, in the 
Catholick Religion ; enjoining the 
Parents to send them for this End to 
the Churches, under the Penalty of 
being fined 500 Livres. The ninth 



Protestants of France. 127 

gives four Months time to such Per- 
sons as have already departed the 
Kingdom to return ; otherwise their 
Goods and Estates to be confiscated. 
The tenth, with repeated Prohibitions, 
forbids all his Subjects of the said 
Religion to depart out of his Realm, 
either they, their Wives or their Chil- 
dren, or to convey their Effects, un- 
der the Pain of the Gallies for the 
Men, and of Confiscation of Body and 
Goods for the Women. The Eleventh, 
confirms the Declarations heretofore 
made against those that relapse. The 
Twelvth declares, that as to the rest 
of his Subjects of the said Religion, 
they might till God enlighten them, 
remain in the Cities of his Kingdom, 
Countries, and Lands under his Obe- 
dience, and there continue their Com- 
merce or Trade, and enjoy their Es- 
tates, without being troubled or mo- 
lested upon Pretence of the said Re- 
ligion; on Condition only that they 
hold no Assemblies under Pretext of 
praying or exercising publickly, any 
kind of Religious Worship. 



128 The Complaints of the 

* In Execution of this 

* The Consequent- Edict, thc wtxy Same 

c^sj the Revoca. ^^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^^ ^^^.^^ 

tred and published at 
Paris^ they began to demolish the 
Church of Charenton. The oldest 
Minister" thereof was commanded to 
leave Paris within four and twenty 
Hours, and forthwith to depart the 
Kingdom. For this end they put him 
into the Hands of one of the King's 
Footman, with orders not to leave him 
till he was out of his Dominions. 
His Colleagues were little better 
treated; they gave them forty-eight 
Hours to quit Paris and left them 
afterwards, to pursue their Journey 
upon their Parole. The rest of the Min- 
isters were allow'd the fifteen days ; 
but it can hardly be believed to what 
Vexations and Cruelties they were ex- 
posed. First of all, they neither per- 
mitted them to dispose of their Es- 
tates, nor to carry away any of their 
Moveables or Effects nay they disput- 
ed them their Books and private 
Papers, on Pretence, that they must 

* Pastor Claude. 



Prolestanls of France. 129 

first justifie, that these their Books and 
Papers did not belong to the Con- 
sistories wherein they serv'd which was 
a Thing impossible, since there were 
no Consistories then remaining. Be- 
sides they would not give 'em leave to 
take along with em Father or Mother, 
Brother or Sister, or any of their Kin- 
dred ; though there were many of them 
infirm, decay 'd and poor, which could 
not subsist but by their Means. They 
went so far, as even to deny them their 
own Children, if they were above 
seven Years old; nay some they took 
from them that were under that Ag^^ 
and even such as yet hang'd upon 
their Mother's Breast; and refused 
them Nurses for their new born In- 
fants, which the Mothers could not 
give suck to. 

In some frontier Places they stopp'd 
and imprisoned them, upon divers 
ridiculous Pretences, sometimes aU 
ledging they must prove, that they 
were really the same Persons which 
their Certificates mentioned. At 
other times they wanted to be in- 



130 The Complamts of the 

form'd whether there were no crimi- 
nal Process, or informations against 
them, and sometimes again they would 
force them to prove that they carried 
away nothing that belonged to their 
Flocks. Then after they had thus 
detained and amused 'em, they would 
tell them that the Fifteen Days of the 
Edict v/ere expired, and they could 
not longer have Liberty to retire, but 
must be sent to the Gallies. There 
was no kind of Deceit or Treachery 
which they did not make use of to 
molest them. 

As to the rest, whom the Force of 
Persecution and hard Usage con- 
strained to leave their Houses and 
Estates, and to fly the Kingdom, 'tis 
not to be imagined what Dangers 
they exposed themselves to. Never 
were Orders more severe or more 
strict, than those that were given 
against them. They doubled the 
Guvards in Sea-port Cities, High-ways 
and Foards ; They cover'd the Coun- 
try with Souldiers ; they armed even 
the Peasants either to stop or kill those 
that passed : They forbad all the Offi- 



Protestants of France. 131 

cers of the Customs to suffer any 
Goods, Moveables, Merchandize or 
other Effects to pass. And in a word, 
they forgot nothing that might hinder 
the Flight of the persecuted even to the 
interrupting almost all Commerce with 
the neighbouring Nations. By this 
means they quickly filled all the 
Prisons in the Kingdom ; for the 
Dread of the Dragoons, the Horror 
of seeing their Consciences forced, 
and their Children taken from them, 
and of living for the future in a Land 
where there was neither Justice nor 
Humanity for them, obliged every 
one to think of an Escape, and to 
abandon all to save their Persons. 
All these poor Prisoners have been 
since treated with unheard of Rigour, 
confined in Dungeons, loaded with 
heavy Chains, almost starved with 
Hunger; and deprived of all converse 
but that of their Persecutors. They 
put many into Monasteries where 
they experienced some of the worst 
of Cruelties. Some indeed have been 
so happy as to dye in the midst of 



132 The Complaints of the 

their Torments, but others have at 
last sunk under the Weight of the 
Temptation ; and some again by the 
extraordinary Assistance of God's 
Grace, do still sustain it with an He- 
roick Courage. 

These have been the Consequences 
of this new Edict, but who would not 
have believed that the Twelfth Arti- 
cle would have sheltered the rest of 
the Reformed, that had a Mind still 
to tarry in the Kingdom; since this 
Article doth so expressly assure them, 
that they might live therein, continue 
their Trade, and enjoy their Estates 
without being at all troubled or mo- 
lested upon pretence of their Religion. 
Yet behold what they have done, and 
still are doing to these poor Wretches, 
they did not recall the Dragoons and 
other Souldiers, which had been sent 
into the Provinces before the Edict : 
On the contrary they to this day com- 
mit with greater Fury, the same In- 
humanities and Barbarities, which we 
have before represented ; besides this, 
they have filled those Provinces since 



Protestajits of France. 133 

with Souldiers where there were none 
before, as Normandy, Picardy, Berry, 
Champagne, the Nivernois, Orleans^ 
the Blesois and the Isle of France. 
They exercise the same Violence, ex- 
ert the same Fury there as they do in 
other Provinces. Paris it self, where 
methinks this Article of the Edict, 
should have been best observ'd, be- 
cause so near the King's Presence, 
and more immediately under the Gov- 
ernment of the Court, Paris, I say, 
was no more spared than the rest of 
the Kingdom. The very day the 
Edict was published, without more 
delay, the Attorney General and some 
other Magistrates, began to send for 
the Heads of Families to come to 
them, they declar'd to 'em that 'twas 
absolutely the King's Will they should 
change their Religion ; that they were 
no better than the rest of his Sub- 
jects, and that if they would not do it 
willingly, the King would make use of 
those means which he had ready to 
compell them to it. At the same time 
they banish'd by Letters under the 



134 ^^^ Complaints of the 

privy Seal the Elders of the Consisto- 
ry, together with some others in whom 
they found the most Constancy and 
Resolution ; and the better to dis- 
perse them, chose out such Places as 
were most remote from Commerce, 
where they have ever since used them 
with a great deal of Cruelty, some 
have comply'd, but others are yet 
under Sufferings. 

The Diligence of the Attorney 
General and Magistrates not succeed- 
ing so fully as they wish'd, though 
Threats and Menaces were not want- 
ing; Monsieur de S eigne lay, Secre- 
tary of State would also try what In- 
fluence he could have within his Jur- 
isdiction at Paris, for this End he got 
together about an hundred or an hun- 
dred and Twenty Merchants and 
others into his Palace, and after hav- 
ing caused the Doors to be shut, he ^ 
forthwith presented them with a cer- 
tain Form of Abjuration, and com- 
manded them in the King's Name 
presently to sign it ; declaring that 
they should not stir, till they obeyed 



Protestants of France. 135 

The Contents of that Form were, not 
only that they did renounce the Here- 
sy of Calvin, and enter into the Cath- 
olick Church, but also that they did 
this voluntarily, and without being 
forced or compelled to it. This was 
done in a most imperious man- 
ner, and with an haughty Air of Au- 
thority : there were that dar'd to open 
their Mouths, but they were sharply 
answered, that they were not to dis° 
pute but to obey ; so that they all 
sign'd before they went out. 

To these Methods they added oth- 
ers more terrible, as Prisons, the actu- 
al Seizure of their Effects and Papers, 
the taking away of their Children, the 
Separation of Husbands and Wives; 
and in fine, the hard Method, that is 
to say, Dragoons, Those that most 
firmly stood out, they sent to the Bas- 
tille and to the Fort Leveque ; The 
Houses of as many as they could not 
find, or had hid themselves, were 
seal'd up, they plunder'd many others, 
not sparing their Persons, just as they 
had done in other Places. 



136 The Complaints of the 

Thus the Twelfth Article of the 
Edict, which promised some Relaxa- 
tion, or Shadow of Liberty, was noth- 
ing but an egregious deceit to amuse 
the credulous, and keep them from 
thinking to make their escape, a Snare 
to catch them with the more ease. 

Fury still kept on its usual course, 
and was heated to such a degree, as 
not content with the desolation com- 
mitted in the Kingdom, it reached 
even into Orange, a Sovereign Princi- 
pality, where the King of Right has 
no Power, and thence taking the 
Ministers away by force, transported 
them into his Prisons. Thither the 
Dragoons were likewise sent, where 
they executed all kind of Mischiefs 
and Villany, and by force constrained 
the Inhabitants thereof, both Men, 
Women and Children, nay, and the 
very Ofificers of the Prince, to change 
their Religion. 

This was the state of things in the 
latter End of the Year 1685, and the 
full Accomplishment of the Threats 
the Clergy had made us three Years 



Protestants of France. 137 

before, towards the End of their Pre- 
tended Pastoral Letter, Ye must ex- 
pect misery incomparably more dread- 
ful and intolerable, than all those, 
which hitherto your Revolt and your 
Schism have Drawn upon you. And 
truly they have not been worse than 
their Word, there are some notwith- 
standing in the Kingdom who still 
abide firm ; and their Persecutions 
are still continued to them ; New 
Torments are daily invented against 
those whom Force has made to 
Change their Religion, because they 
are still observed to Sigh and Groan 
under their hard Bondage, their 
Heart detesting what their Mouths 
have Prof est, or their Hands signed. 
As to such as have escaped into 
Foreign Countries, who are at least 
An Hundred and Fifty Thousand 
Persons^ their Estates are Confiscated; 
this being all the hurt they can do 
to them at present. I say at present ; 
for 'tis not question'd but our Perse- 
cutors are contriving to extend their 
Cruelties further. But we must hope 



138 The Complaints of the 

in God, that whatsoever intentions 
they may have of destroying the Prot- 
estant Religion in all Places, he will 
not permit them to effect their de- 
sign. The World will surely open 
its Eyes ; And this which they have 
now been doing with an high Hand, 
and worse than barbarous fury, will 
shew not only the Protestants, but 
the wise and sober Catholicks, 
what they are to expect both one 
and other, from such a sort of 
People. 

* In effect, he that 

* Reflexions upon g|^^|J ^^^^ himSClf, but 
all these Crnel 1 i • n 

Perseaitions. the Icisurc to retlect 
on the matters of fact 
which we have just now related, the 
which are most evident, notorious, 
and acted in the face of the Sun, shall 
see not only the Protestants opprest, 
but the King's Honour sullied, his 
Countries damnified, all the Princes 
of Europe Interested ; nay, even the 
Pope himself, with his whole Church 
and Clergy, shamefully discredited, 
and defamed. 



Protestants of France. 139 
*For to begin with 

the A^/;/^ himself. What * First Reflection. 

could be more contrary 
to his Dignity than to put him upon 
breaking his Word, and persuading 
him that he might lawfully and with 
a safe Conscience violate, by a Thou- 
sand Contraventions and Breaches, 
and at last utterly revoke and annul, so 
solemn an Edict as was that of Nantes. 
That Edict which was granted by 
Henry the Great in the Year 1598^ 
hath Four Incontestable Characters 
that are justified by the very Text it 
self. I. That it was a Royal and Sov» 
ereign Promise, which he granted, 
not only for himself, and for the Term 
of his own Reign, but also for that of 
all his Descendants and Successors> 
for ever. 2. That of being a Solemn, 
Definitive, and Irrevocable Decree^ 
pronounced by the Sovereign Magis- 
trate, to continue for ever, as a Regu- 
lation and Law between the two con- 
tending Parties, the Roman Catho^ 
licks and the Protestants, after both 
had been duly and sufficiently heard^ 



140 The Complaints of the 

3. That of being a Treaty or Accord 
accepted, agreed upon, and consented 
to, by the whole Realm in Quality of 
a perpetual Law and Regulation. 
And 4. that of having been made 
sacred, and even divine, by the recip- 
rocal Oath of the whole Nation. 

I say, that these four Characters 
are incontestable, and to be justified 
from the very Text of the Edict. 
The first is evident from the Preamble, 
wherein the King, after having ex- 
liorted his Subjects rightly to under- 
stand that in the Observation of that 
Law did consist the chief Foundation 
of their Union, and Concord, Tran- 
quility and Peace, and the Restora- 
tion of the State to its primitive 
Splendour, Wealth and Dignity, he 
adds, We on our Part promise to 
cause the same exactly to be observed, 
and not to suffer it to be any ways 
violated, and then to shew he meant 
that his promise should oblige his 
Posterity and Successors, he declares, 
lie grants it as an Edict perpetual 
,and Irrevocable. And having partic- 



Protestants of France. 141 

ularly express'd the Articles of it^ 
he concludes, in these words, we de- 
clare expressly that our Will is that 
this our Edict be firmly and inviolably 
kept and observed by all our Justices, 
Officers, and all other our Subjects, 
and that no Respect or Regard shall be 
had to any thing that might be contra- 
dictory to or derogatory from the same. 

And accordingly Lewis XIII. at 
his Accession to the Crown lookt 
upon it, as a Law to the Observation 
whereof he found himself engaged, 
acknowledging by his Declaration, 
that it was an Edict perpetual and 
irrevocable which stood in no need 
of being confirmed, the King now 
reigning has acknowledg'd the same 
upon several Occasions. This is then 
a Royal Word and Promise of Henry 
the Great, not only on behalf of himself, 
but also in behalf of his Posterity, 
and thence it follows ; that 'tis a Con- 
dition annex'd to his Inheritance and 
Crown never to be separated from it. 

The second Character is no less 
certain and manifest than the first, it 
appears by the Preamble of the Edict 



142 The Complaints of the 

wherein the King declares that he 
did not grant this Law, but till after 
he had on one Side consider'd the 
Representations of his Catholick Sub- 
jects, and on the other side permitted 
his Subjects of the pretended reform- 
ed Religion to meet by their Repre- 
sentatives, to draw up theirs, and to 
put together all their Remonstrances, 
and upon that Account conferr'd v/ith 
them at several Times. Adding, that 
he judged it necessary to set forth at 
present, upon Consideration of the 
whole Matter to all his said Loving 
Subjects, a Law that might be univer- 
sal, clear, plain, and absolute whereby 
they should regulate themselves upon 
all Differences, which formerly did, 
or hereafter might arise betwixt them. 
This then is a Judgement after a fair 
Hearing of both Sides, and a Regula- 
tion no less fit to adjust all former 
Differences, than to put an end to 
those that might happen thereafter : 
and consequently, V2V a perpetual and 
irrevocable Edict, as he terms it him- 
self ; not in a titular Way only, as 
Kings are sometimes wont to express 



Protestants of France. 143 

themselves, but really and in its own 
Nature. And accordingly he further 
declares he gives it, after having, with 
the Advice of the Princes of his Blood, 
the other Princes, the Crown Officers, 
and other Grandees and notable Mem- 
bers of his Council of State being near 
him, diligently weighed and consider- 
ed the whole Matter. 

As for the 3d Character there can- 
not be desir'd a better Proof than its 
having been registred in all the 
Courts of Parliament of the Realm, 
in the Chambers of Accounts, Courts 
of Ayds^ Baylewicks, Seneschalseas^ 
Provostships, and all other Jurisdic- 
tions whatsoever, according as it was 
order'd by the last Article thereof. 
The Parliament indeed of Paris and 
Toulouse a little scrupled it at first, 
but those Difficulties were soon over, 
and there was no Opposition either 
from the Clergy or from the Body of 
the Catholicks, on the contrary, the 
Promulgation of it was with the full 
Consent of the whole Realm, as even 
the aforementioned Bernard Counsel- 
lour of Beziers hath acknowledged in 



144 '^^^ Complaints of the 

his pretended Explanation of the Edict 
of Nantes. After the publication of 
this Edict, says he, the King sent Com- 
missioners into ail the Provinces of 
the Kingdom to put it in Execution, 
and to re-establish his Religion where 
it had been disused, but we do not find 
by the verbal Relations of those Com- 
missioners, that they did anything 
considerable, or that any Controver- 
sies were brought before them, con- 
cerning the Exercises of Religion, 
and other Important Matters, either 
because they were willing to prevent 
the reviving of the Differences already 
terminated, and the kindling a-new 
the Heats that were so lately appeas'd ; 
or because the Exercise of the Catho- 
lick Religion having been interrupted 
a long while in many Places, they were 
content to have it everywhere restored. 
As to the 4th Character one need 
only read the XCII Article, wherein 
the King ordains in express Terms, 
that the Observation of his Edict shall 
be sworn to by all the Governours and 
Lord Lieutenants of Provinces, Bai- 
liffs, Seneschals, and other ordinary 



Protestants of France. 145 

Judges, by Mayors, Aldermen, Capi- 
touls, Consuls, and Jurats or Sheriffs, 
either Annual or by Patent for Life, 
also by the Principal Inhabitants of 
Cities and Towns, as well Catholicks 
as Protestants, and lastly, by the 
Courts of Parliament, Chambers of Ac- 
counts, and Court of Ayds. A 11 which 
was punctually executed accordingly. 
Any the least of these Characters 
were sufficient, one might think, tho'' 
separated from the rest, to put the 
Edict out of the Reach of the Capri- 
ciousness and Fickleness of such is otir 
Will and Pleasure^ for who can doubt 
but that a King is oblig'd to keep his 
Word, and his faith, and likewise that 
of his Predecessors too ; when the 
same is become a condition insepara- 
bly annexed to the Succession ; as un- 
doubtedly it is, if it has been granted 
under the Quality of a Solemn, per-- 
petual, and irrevocal Promise. It were 
impertinent to say, that a King can't 
oblige himself towards his own Sub- 
jects, or that it is inconsistent with his 
soveraignty. For not to enter into the 
Discussion of that Principle, which 



146 The Complaints of the 

would lead us too far, if examin'd with 
Application, I say, if the solemn Prom- 
ises of Kings do not oblige them 
towards their Subjects, they at least 
are obligatory to themselves, A King 
sure is no better than God. Who 
though he be infinitely elevated above 
his Creature, ail Divines nevertheless 
agree that his Promise binds him so 
far to himself ihdit it is immutable, for 
which Reason the Scripture so often 
speaks of his Fidelity and Veracity, 
in the Performance of the Conditions 
contained in his Covenant with us. 
Who can doubt, but a King may bind 
himself to observe and cause inviola- 
bly to be observ'd the Laws which Jus- 
tice has inclin'd him to grant his Sub- 
jects, for regulating their Differences 
by the Rules of Right Reason, and 
preserving them all from their mutual 
Oppressions ? How much more then 
is he bound when his Subjects also on 
both Sides have agreed to it ; and the 
Law made for both their mutual Ben- 
efits, is become the ptib lick Faith of his 
whole Kingdom ? And how much 
more yet when the Covenant, or Treaty 



Protestants of France. 147 

has been reciprocally and solemnly 
sworn to, by a whole Nation, and 
God himself become thereby the De- 
positary and Avenger of it? How 
is it then possible that those evil Coun- 
sellours should have perswaded the 
King, to break through all the Bar- 
riers of Justice, Fidelity, and Con- 
science ; and without any regard 
either to God, the State, or himself, to 
make his Power his only Rule. 

To palliate in some sort the Vio- 
lence of this Procedure they make 
him say in this new Edict, that the 
best and greatest Part of his Subjects, 
of the Pretended reformed Religion 
have embraced the Catholick ; and 
that therefore the Execution of the 
Edict of Nantes, with whatsoever else 
has been done in Favour of the same 
Religion was become void. But is not 
this an Evasion unworthy of his Maj- 
est}^ seeing that if this best and great- 
est Part of his Subjects of the re- 
formed Religion embraced the Catho- 
lick ; 'tis certain they have been con- 
straint to it by Force, and the cruel 



148 The Complaints of the 

and furious Oppression which his 
Troops have laid on them. 

Perhaps this might indeed be said, 
had the better and greater Part of his 
Subjects chang'd their Religion of 
their own Accord, altho that in this 
Case too, the Privileges of the Edict 
must have continued for those that 
remain'd. But after having forc'd 
them to change by the horrible Inhu- 
manities of his Dragoons, after having 
depriv'd them of the Liberty which 
the Edict gave 'em ; to say coldly, 
that he only revokes the Edict, be- 
cause it is now become useless, is a 
Raillery unbefitting so great a Mon- 
arch: for it is as much as if he said, 
that he was indeed oblig'd to continue 
to his Protestant Subjects all the Priv- 
ileges due to them ; but that having 
himself overthrown them by a Major 
Force, he finds himself at present 
lawfully and fairly disengag'd from his 
Obligation: which is just as if a Father, 
who himself had cut his childrens 
Throats, should glory in the being 
from that time forward freed from the 
Care of nourishing and protecting 



Protestants of France. 149 

them. Are Kings wont thus to ex- 
press themselves in their Edicts ? 

What they make him further say, to 
wit, that Henry the Great, his Grand- 
father of glorious memory, granted the 
Edict of Nantes to those of the pre- 
tended reformed Religion only that 
he might the better effect their Re- 
union to the Roman Church ; that 
Lewis XIII also his Father of glorious 
memory, had the same Design when 
he gave the Edict of Nimes ; and that 
he himself too, had entred thereinto 
at his coming to the Crown ; is but a 
pitiful Salvo, but taking it for granted 
since they will have it so, and let us 
state it nakedly and literally in the 
Sense they give it us in, what can we 
conclude thence, but these following 
Propositions? (i) That Henry tho. 
Great and Lewis the 13 granted those 
Edicts to our Forefathers only on Pur- 
pose to deceive them, and with an in- 
tent afterwards to ruine them with the 
greater Facility under the Mask of 
this Fraud. (2) That not being them- 
selves able to effect this, being hin- 
dred by their other Affairs, they com- 



150 The Complaints of the 

mitted this most important Secret to 
his present Majesty, to the end he 
should execute it when he met with a 
fitting Opportunity. (3) That his 
present Majesty entring into the 
Thought of this, at his first coming to 
the Crown, he confirm'd those Edicts 
and set forth his Declarations of 1643 
and 1652, with other Decrees advan- 
tageous to the Reformed Religion, 
only the more cunningly to impose 
on them, and lay Snares in their Way, 
or if you please, to crown them, as they 
crowned of old the Victims when they 
were to be sacrific'd. (4) That all 
that has been done against them since 
the Peace of the Pirennees, till this 
very time, according to the Abridg- 
ment which we have here made of it, 
has been only the Execution of a 
Project, yea even of a Project far more 
Ancient than we imagin'd, seeing we 
must date it from the time of the 
granting of the Edict of Nantes it self, 
and go back as far as to Henry the 
Greatior it, and in fine, that that which 
has been till now a great and profound 
Mistery is no longer so ; seeing the 



Protestants of France. 151 

King by this new Edict discovers it 
to all the World, that he may be ap- 
plauded for it. 

Can any Body but confess, that if the 
Enemies of France had undertaken 
to discredit the Conduct of its Kings, 
and render them odious to the World, 
they could not have taken a more 
successful Course. Henry the Great 
gives his Edict to the Protestants 
with the greatest Solemnity imagin- 
able, he gives it to them as a Recom- 
pence of their Services, he promises 
solemnly to observe it ; and as if this 
was not enough, he binds it on the 
whole Kingdom by an Oath : he exe- 
cutes it to the utmost of his Power; 
and they peaceably enjoy'd it to the 
end of his Reign : yet all this is but a 
meer Snare, for they are to be dra- 
goon'd at a proper time : but being 
himself surpriz'd by Death he could 
not do it, but leaves it in Charge to 
Lewis the XIII. his Son. 

Lewis the^\\\ ascends the Throne, 
issues out his Declaration immediate- 
ly, that he acknowledges the Edict of 



152 The Complaints of the 

Nantes as perpetual and irrevocable, 
and such as needed not any new 
Confirmation, and that he would re- 
ligiously observe every Article of it, 
and therefore sends Commissioners 
accordingly to see it actually put in 
Execution. When he took up Arms 
he protested that he had no Design at 
Religion ; and in Truth he permitted 
the full Liberty of it, even in those 
very Towns he took by Assault, he 
gives after this his Edict of Nimes as 
the Edict of a Triumphant Prince, 
declaring neverless that his Intention 
therein was that, that of Nantes should 
be inviolably kept, and accordingly 
kept it himself to his dying Days. 
But this is only intended, forsooth, to 
lull the Protestants asleep till a favour- 
able Occasion to destroy them should 
present.- 

Lewis the XIV at his coming to the 
Crown confirms the Edict, and de- 
clares that he will maintain the re- 
form'd in all their Privileges ; he after- 
wards confirms in another Declaration, 
how highly he is satisfied with their 



Protestants of France. 153 

Services ; and testifies his Design of 
establishing them in the Enjoyment of 
their Rights, but this is all but a meer 
Amusement, and an Artifice to entrap 
them, the better so to colour over the 
Project of ruining them at a conven- 
ient time. What a Character now of 
the most Christian Kings will this 
give to the Enemies ol France, and to 
all foreign Nations? And what con- 
fidence can they imagine will be hence- 
forth put in any of their Promises 
and Treaties ? For if they deal thus 
with their own Subjects, and caress 
'em only to ruin them, what can 
Strangers expect .f' 

Let us a little consider how they 
introduce the King saying, that at his 
first coming to the Crown, he was in 
the Design which he has now been 
lust executing. They mean without 
doubt, from the time he actually took 
the Reins of Government in hand, 
for he was too vouno[ before, to enter 
personally on any Design of this 
Nature : he enter'd on it then, pre- 
cisely at the time, when the Civil 



154 ^-^^ Complaints of the 

Wars which had been during his Mi- 
nority were ended. But what does 
this mean, but that he engag'd in 
this Design at the very time when the 
Protestants came from rendring him 
the most important Service that Sub- 
jects were ever capable of doing their 
Prince. They came from giving him 
the highest Testimonies of Loyalty 
imaginable, then when the greatest 
part of his other Subjects had taken 
up Arms against him, they had vigor-, 
ously opposed the Progress of his En- 
emies ; rejected the great and advan- 
tageous Offers that were made them ; 
kept Towns, yea whole Provinces for 
him; took his Servants and Officers 
into their Bosoms, when they could 
not find safety elsewhere ; sacrificed 
their Estates, their Lives, their For- 
tunes, and their all to him ; and in a 
Word, done all with such a Zeal, as 
becomes faithful Subjects in so dan- 
gerous a Juncture. And this now is 
the time when the King to requite 
them for all this, enters on the Design 
of their utmost Destruction and Ex- 



. Protestants of France. 155 

tirpation. This so confirms the Truth 
of what we said in the Beginning, 
that it puts it out of all Question: 
that the Project of their Destruction 
was grounded on the Services they 
had rendred the King. 

But is it not astonishing that we 
must be taught this important Secret,, 
and all Europe besides ; for although 
the Protestants have done nothing in 
this occasion but their Duty, it could 
never be imagined their Dtity should 
be made their Crime : and their Ruine 
should spring from whence should 
come their Safety, God brought 
Light out of Darkness ; but the Poli- 
ticks of France, on the contrary Dark- 
ness out of Light. Hov/ever, they 
cannot deny that in this new Edict, 
the King is made to say, he entered 
on the Design to destroy the Protes- 
tant Party at the very time wherein 
they so signaliz'd and distinguished 
themselves so successfully for the In- 
terest of the Crown, which will furnish 
thinking Men, as well within, as with- 
out the Kingdom, with matter enough 



156 The Complaints of the 

for Reflexion, and will shew them 
what use is made of Services and what 
Recompense to be expected for them. 
But we shall say no more of the 
Expressions of the new Edict, but 
rather consider the matter oi it. Was 
ever a worse and harder Usage than 
that we have suffered for the Space of 
above Twenty Years, which have been 
employed in forming the late Tempest 
which has at last overwhelmed us. It 
has been a continual Storm of De- 
crees, Edicts, Declarations, Orders, 
Condemnations of Churches, Demoli- 
tions of Temples, civil and criminal 
Processes, Imprisonments, Banish- 
ments, Amendes Honourables, pecun- 
iary Mulcts, Privation of Ofifices and 
Employs, depriving Parents of their 
Children, and all those other Perse- 
cutions which we have already briefly 
summ'd up. We were told on one 
hand, that the King would continue 
to us the Edict of Nantes, and he also 
delivered himself on several Occa- 
sions to that Effect ; and on the 
other hand we were made to suffer 



Protestants of France. 157 

after innumerable manners in our 
Estates, in our Honours, in our Rep- 
utations, in our Persons, in our Fam- 
ilies, in our Religion, in cur Con- 
sciences, and all by unjust and indi- 
rect Ways ; by unheard of Inventions, 
by false Witnesses, by Oppressions, 
by publick Vexations, and sometimes 
underhand Dealings; and all this 
under the Veil of the King's Author- 
ity, and because this was his good 
pleasure. We know very well the 
Authority of Kings, and the Respect 
and Submission with which we ought 
to receive their Orders. And therefore 
have we, during all these unsupporta- 
ble Usages expressed a Patience, and 
an Obedience so remarkable, that it 
has been the Admiration of the 
Catholicks themselves, our Country- 
men. But it must be acknowledged 
that those who put his Majesty on 
dealing thus with us, or have used 
his name and Authority for this 
could not possibly do him a greater 
Dishonour than they have hereby 
done him, for after all, those Kings 



158 The Complaints of the 

who would be esteemed for their Jus- 
tice and Equity, hardly govern their 
Subjects after this manner. They 
are not for putting all things into 
Confusion, or filling all Places with 
Horror and Despair. They seek not 
their Satisfaction in the Tears and 
Groans of the Innocent. They take 
no Pleasure in keeping their Subjects 
in a perpetual Agitation, leaving them 
a Life precarious from Day to Day. 
They love not to have their Names 
mentioned with Terror, nor do they 
meditate continual Designs of extir- 
pating those who give them constant 
and unquestionable Proofs of their 
Loyalty; much less do they invent 
cruel Projects, which like Mines may 
destroy unseen their own natural Sub- 
jects, and this too under pretence of 
Kindness, by the slie and equivo- 
cal Declarations which came out then 
thickest just as the Blow was ready 
to be given. 

There are 3 Things remarkable in 
the Conduct of this whole Affair. 
The first is, that as long as they were 
only on the Way, the true Authors of 



Protestants of France. 159 

the Persecution did not conceal them- 
selves but always studied to conceal 
the King as much as they could ; 'Tis 
true, the Degrees, Edicts, and Decla- 
rations and such other things went 
still under the Name of his Majesty ; 
But on the Request of the Agents, 
and Syndics of the Clergy : and whilst 
they were busied in these Matters, the 
King declar'd openly his intention of 
maintaining the Edict it self, and that 
'twas only the Abuses and Contraven- 
tions of it, which he design'd to 
correct. 

The second is, that when they came 
to the last Extremities, and open force, 
then they concealed themselves as 
much as they could, but made the 
King appear at his full Length. There 
was nothing heard but these kind of 
Speeches, The King will have it so^ 
the King has taken the Matter in his 
own hands ; the King carries it furth- 
er than the Clergy could have wished. 
By these Two means, they have had 
the Address to be only charg'd with 
the lesser and milder Part of the Per- 



l6o The Coniplainis of the 

secution, and to lay the more violent 
and odious at the King's Door. 

The third thing which we are to re- 
mark is, that the better to obtain their 
Ends, they have made it their Busi- 
ness to perswade the King, that this 
Work would crown him with the high- 
est Glory; which is a most horrid 
Abuse of his Credulity, and an Abuse 
so much the greater, by how much 
they would skreen themselves from 
being thought the Authors of this 
Council. Hence, if any of them in 
particular be ask'd at this Day what 
they think of it, there are few of them 
but will readily condemn it. 

Now what falser Idea of Glory 
could they give, than making it con- 
sist in surprizing a poor People de- 
fenceless and helpless, disperst over 
all his Kingdom, and living securely 
under his wings and under the Pro- 
tection of the Remains of the Edict 
of A^antes ? And who could ever 
imagine, there were any Intentions of 
depriving them, of the established 
Liberty of their Consciences, of sur- 
prizing and overwhelming them in an 



Proiesta7iis of France. i6l 

instant with a numerous Army, to 
whose Discretion they are delivered 
up; and who tell them roundly they 
must either by fair means or by foul, 
become Roman Catholicks, for that 
such is the Kings Will and Pleasure? 
What falser Notion of Glory could 
they ever offer him, than the putting 
him thus in the place of God, nay even 
above God, in making the Faith and 
Religion of his Subjects, depend on 
his sole Authority, and that hencefor- 
ward it must be said in his Kingdom, 
I believe not because I am perswaded, 
but I believe, because the King wmII 
have me, let God say what he will, 
which to speak properly is, that I be- 
lieve nothing, and that I'll be a Turk, 
a Jew, an Atheist, or whatever the King 
pleases ? What falser Idea of Glory 
than to force from Men's Mouths by 
Violence, and a long Series of Tor- 
ments, a Confession, which the Heart 
abhors, and for which they afterwards 
sigh Night and Day, crying continu- 
ally to God for Mercy ! What Glory is 
there in inventing new Ways of Per-^ 



1 62 The Complaints of the 

secution, unknown to former Ages ; 
Persecutions which indeed do not 
bring Death along with them, but keep 
Men alive to suffer, that their Patience 
and Constancy may be overcome by 
Cruelties, which are above human 
strength to undergo ! What Glory 
is there in not contenting himself to 
force those who remain in his King- 
dom ; but to prohibit also their leav- 
ing it, and so keep them under a 
double Servitude both of Soul and 
Body ! What Glory is there in stuff- 
ing his prisons full of Innocent Per- 
sons, who are charg'd with no other 
Crime than the serving God according 
to the best of their Knowledge: and 
for this to be exposed either to the 
rage of the Dragoons, or be con- 
demned to the Gallies, and suffer Ex- 
ecution on Body and Goods ? 

What falser Idea of Glory for the 
King than to make it consist in the 
Abuse of his Power, and to violate 
without so much as a shadow of Reas- 
on, his own Word and Royal Faith, 
which he had so solemnly given, and 
so often reiterated ; and this only be- 



Protestants of France. 163 

cause he can do it with impunity, and 
has to deal with a Flock of Innocent 
Sheep that are under his paw, and 
cannot escape him^ And yet 'tis this 
which the Clergy of France, by the 
Mouth of the Bishop of Valence, calls 
a Greatness and a Glory that raises 
Lewis XIV, above all other Kings, 
above all his Predecessors, and above 
Time it self, and consecrates him for 
Eternity ? 'Tis what Monsieur Va^ 
rillas calls Labours greater and more 
incredible without comparison than 
those of Hercules. 'Tis what Mr. 
Maimbourg Q,2iSh an Heroick Action. 
The Heroical Action (says he) That 
the King has just now done, in for- 
bidding by his new Edict of October 
the publick Exercise of the False 
Religion of the Calvinists, and order- 
ing that all their Churches be forwith 
demolished. Base unworthy Flatters! 
Must people suffer themselves to be 
blinded by the Fumes of your incense. 
We should be very loth to exag- 
gerate anything, which may violate 
the Respect due to so great a Prince; 



164 The Complaints of the 

but we do not think it a failure in our 
Duty; fairly to represent how far 
these treacherous Counsellors and 
odious Parasites, have really injured 
his honour, by the sad Misfortunes 
which they have plunged us into, and 
how criminal they have thereby made 
themselves toward his Majesty. 

^ They have commit- 
* The Second ^^^ ^^ j^gg Misdemcau- 

Keflexton. , , 

ours agamst their coun- 
try ; of which they are Members, and 
for which a Man would think they 
should have at least some Considera- 
tion. Not to speak here of the great 
Number of Persons of all Ages, Sexes 
and Qualities, which they have cut off 
from it, by their fierce Tempers ; al- 
though perhaps this Loss be not so 
inconsiderable as they are willing to 
have it thought, it is certain that 
France is a very populous Country, 
but when these feaverish Fits shall be 
over, and they shall in cold Blood 
come to consider what they have done, 
they will find with regret, that these 
Diminutions are no matter of Tri- 



Protestants of France. 165 

umph, for 'tis not possible that so 
many substantial People, so many in- 
tire Families, who have made them- 
selves considable in Arts and Sci- 
ences, civil and military, can leave a 
Kingdom without one day being 
miss'd! At present, whilst they re- 
joyce in their Spoils, possess them- 
selves of their Houses and Estates, 
this Loss is not so much felt; 'tis 
recompensed in some measure they 
think, by the booty and by the ease of 
maintaining the Souldiers by this 
Plunder, but this will not always hold. 
Neither shall we here insist on that 
almost general Interruption of Traf- 
fick, which these most Unchristian 
Persecutors have caused in the princi- 
pal Towns of the Kingdom, although 
this be no little Misfortune. The Pro- 
testants carried on a good part of the 
Trade, as well within the Kingdom as 
without; and were therein so mixt 
with the Roman Catholicks, that 
their Affairs were in a manner in- 
separably linked together, they dealt 
as it were in common when these 
Oppressions came upon them. And 



1 66 The Complaints of the 

what Confusions have they not pro- 
duced ? How many industrious Meas- 
ures have they broken ? How many 
honest Designs have they not disap- 
pointed ? How many Manufactures 
have been ruin'd? How many bank- 
rupts have they made ? And how 
many Families reduced to Beggary? 
But this is what the Oppressors little 
trouble themselves about, they have 
their Bread gain'd to their Mouths, 
they live in Wantonness and Ease : 
and whilst others starve for Hunger, 
their Revenues are ascertain'd to 
them. But this hinders not, but that 
the Body of the Estate must still suf- 
fer, both in its Honour and Interest, 
And we may truly say, that Four 
Civil Wars could not have produced 
so much mischief, as time will shew to 
springfrom this one Persecution alone. 
But we will leave the Consequence 
of this Affair to Time, and only say, 
that the Edict of Nantes, being a fun- 
damental Law of the Kingdom, and 
an Agreement between Two Parties 
by a reciprocal Acceptation, under the 



Protestants of France. 167 

peaceable Reign of Henry the Great 
by the publick Faith, and by mutual 
Oath, this must certainly be highly 
Disadvantagious to the Interest of 
the State, and a very bad Precedent, 
that after having made a Thousand 
Infractions of it, it should at length 
be revok'd, cancell'd and annulled at 
the Instigation of a Cabal, who abuse 
their Credit, and hereby make them- 
selves fit for enterprising and execut- 
ing any thing. After this Violation, 
what can henceforward be thought 
firm and inviolable in France, I speak 
not only of particular Men's Affairs^ 
or of private Families, but of general 
Establishments, of Royal Companies, 
of Courts of Justice, of fundamental 
Laws and Constitutions, and in one 
word of whatever may relate to the 
Order, either of judicial Proceedings, 
or of the Affairs of State, or may 
serve for a Basis and Foundation of 
Society ; even the Inalienable Rights 
of the Crown, and the Form of Gov- 
ernment it self, not excepted : which 
are all hereby manifestly shaken. 



1 68 The Complaints of the 

There are in the Kingdom of France 
a great many thinking Men to whom it 
will not be hard to discern this. There 
are, I say, a great Number of worthy 
Persons in it, who understand how 
to think as they ought of Matters, 
and whose Eyes are opened. I mean 
not your Poets, or such sort of ful- 
some Flatterers, who for the Sake of 
a few Madrigals, or a Panegyrick 
perhaps upon the King, run away 
with considerable Preferments, and 
Benefices : nor your Authors who 
are prepared to write on any side, be 
it right or wrong, without any Con- 
sideration for the true Merit of the 
Cause; and who are elevated with 
their knowledge, as if they indeed 
knew every thing, when they know 
not how little and contemptible they 
really are. For I am speaking of 
those wise, solid, and penetrating 
Spirits, who look a great way into 
the Consequences of Things, and 
are able to make a right Judgment 
upon them. 

Shall we think that these Men see 



Protestants of France. l6g 

not what is too visible, namely, that 
the State is pierced, through and 
through, by the same Thrust given the 
Protestants, and that such an open 
Revocation of the Edict, with so 
high an hand, leaves nothing firm 
and sacred. 

It is to no purpose to alledge 
Distinctions in the matter, or say, 
that the pretended reformed Religion 
w^as odious to the State, and that 
therefore this Attack was with the 
more Freedom made, for not to 
mention that the Example is so much 
the more dangerous, as it was the 
more cunningly pitched on, in an 
Affair, wherein the People are, likely 
to take little or no Concern: without 
adding that their having rendred the 
Reformed Religion odious to the 
People, was for certain a premedi- 
tated Preparation to what they in- 
tended to execute afterwards, and 
also that far from having a general 
Aversion against our Religion, the 
Catholicks both the Common People 
and the Nobility had no manner of 



1 70 The Complaints of the 

Animosity against us, (except only a 
Faction of the Bigots, and those 
that are call'd the Propagators of 
the Faith) but on the contrary 
pitied us, and condoled our Misfor- 
tunes. 

Not to touch further on this, who 
knows not what an easy matter it is 
to run down any Cause, or render it 
odious, or at least indifferent, in the 
minds of the people, there are never 
wanting Reasons and Pretences, in 
matters of this Nature, one Party is 
set up against another ; and that is 
call'd the State, right or wrong, which 
is the prevailing one : like as in Re- 
ligion, not the best and holiest, but the 
powerfullest and boldest Part is terwid 
the Church, We must not then judge 
of these things from the Matter, but 
from the Form. Now if there ever 
was since the World stood, any thing 
most solid or inviolable, it was surely 
this Edict of Nantes ; to revoke and 
cancel it, is then to set ones self up 
above all Obligations to God as well 
as to Men, 'tis to declare openly, 



Protestants of France. 171 

that there are no longer any Ties or 
Promises obligatory in the World,, 
but that all things are at pleasure 
revokable, this is no more than the 
wise will easily comprehend ; and I 
doubt not but they have compre- 
hended it already. 

But it will be proper here to pre- 
sent another Objection, which is, that 
as the Edict, (take it in what sense 
we will) is become only a Law by the 
Authority of Henry the Greats so it 
may likewise be revok'd and annull'd 
by that of Lewis XIV. his Grandson, 
and Successor. For there is no more 
Difficulty in one, than in the other : 
for 'tis easy for Kings to determine 
by the same means as they began, 
since if Henry the Great had Power 
to change the Form of governing 
the State, by introducing into it a 
new Law ; why has not Lewis the 
XIV. the same power then to alter 
this Form, and by Consequence an- 
nul whatsoever his Grandfather has 
done ? But this Objection is but a 
meer Fallacy, and will be soon an- 



172 The Complaints of the 

swered by considering that it's built 
upon a false Principle, and thence de- 
duces a falser Conclusion. For as 
to the Principle upon which this is 
founded, we say it was not the single 
Authority of Henry the Great which 
established the Edict. The Edict 
was a Decree of his Justice after all 
Parties were heard, and a concordate 
that, pass'd between the Catholicks 
and the Reformed, authoriz'd by the 
publick Faith of the whole Estate, 
confirmed with the Sanction of an 
Oath, and ratified by the Execution 
of it ; now this is it that renders the 
Edict immutable, and sets it above 
the Reach of any of the Successors 
of Henry the IV. They can be only 
in this Case, the Depositaries and 
the Executors, not the Masters of it, 
and can have no Right to make it de- 
pend on their absolute Will and 
Pleasure. Henry the Great never 
•employed the Force of Arms to 
make the Catholicks consent to it ; 
and though since his Death under 
the Minority of Louis XIII. There 



Protestants of France. 173 

have been several Assemblies of the 
State of the Realm, the Edict has still 
remained in its full Force and Vigor^ 
it was therefore, as we have already 
said, a fundamental Law of the King- 
dom,which the King by his own proper 
Authority could have no Ground of 
Right to touch. But then even sup- 
posing this were a Work grounded on 
the bare Authority of Henry, which 
in Fact is false; it does not therefore 
follow that his present Majesty can 
lawfully revoke it. And the Reason 
hereof is evident, because there are 
many things which depend on the 
good Pleasure of Kings to do, but 
which when done, do not depend on 
the same good Pleasure to undo ; and 
of this Nature is the said Edict. 

It is a Royal Promise, which Henry 
the Great made to the Reformed of 
his Kingdom, as well for himself as 
his Successors for ever, and conse- 
quently this is a perpetual Obliga- 
tion or hereditary Debt, charged on 
himself and his Posterity. Moreover, 
it is not true that Henry the Great 



174 ^^^ Complaints of the 

did change any thing in the Govern- 
ment of the State, at least as to Es- 
sentials, when he gave Liberty of 
Conscience to his Subjects ; for this 
Liberty is a Matter of more Ancient 
and more inviolable Right than all 
Edicts, seeing that it is a Right of 
Nature. 

He permitted a publick Exercise 
of the Reformed Religion ; but this 
Exercise was establish'd in the King- 
dom before his Edict, and if he has 
enlarged the privilege of the Re- 
formed, as (without doubt he has,) he 
did not do it without the Consent and 
Approbation of the State, and so 
herein violated nothing of his lawful 
Engagements. 

But now 'tis not the same with 
Lewis XIV. who of his own pure 
Authority, makes a real and funda- 
mental Change against the Concur- 
rence of one Part of his People, and 
without the consulting of the other ; 
hereby violating his own most sacred 
Engagements, those of his Kingdom, 
and even the Laws of Nature too, 



Protestants of France. 175 

which were things absolutely out of 
his Power to do. 

In short, if we consider the means 
that have been used to arrive at the 
Revocation in Question, it will be im- 
possible for a Man not to acknowledge 
how the State is sensibly hurt thereby. 
For as if it were not enough to sup- 
press the Religious Assemblies, and 
to null the Privileges and civil Rights 
of the Protestants, by unjust Decrees, 
without so much as any Formality or 
Hearing; There are also sent among 
the Souldiers to dispute the Points of 
Religion with them ; and oblige them 
to turn. They are sackt like People 
taken by Assault, they are forc'd in 
their Consciences, and Hell itself, with 
all that is merciless and cruel is let 
loose upon them for this End. And 
this is to speak modestly, The effect 
of a Military and Arbitrary Govern- 
ment, which is regulated neither by 
J-ustice, Reason nor Hum^a^zity. Can 
it be thought, that France will find its 
Account in this matter ! Or that wise 
Men will think this an equitable Way 



176 The Complaints of the 

of governing ? However, this is a 
first Essay that is none of the least, 
they that made it, shew how skilful 
they are, and who knows if they will 
be content to rest here ? There needs 
only another design, another Passion 
to satisfie, another Revenge to exe- 
cute ; and then woe be to those who 
shall oppose it, for the Dragoons will 
not have forgot their Trade. 

^ To these two Re- 
*The Third flexions, which Respect 

Reflexion. . .^ ... ^ 

the rrenck King and 
the States of his Realm, we may add 
a T^i^^y^ which will regard the Interests 
of all the Kings, Princes, and other 
Potentates of Europe, as well of the 
one as of the other Religion. We 
shall not be much mistaken if we say, 
that they have a common and general 
Concern herein ; in as much as these 
most skilful Artists in Mischief do as 
much as ever they can to trouble the 
good Understanding that is between 
them and their Subjects. We are 
however perswaded, that their wise 
and just Government will, in this Re- 
spect put them out of all fear: But 



Protestants of France. 177 

this hinders not Examples of this 
Nature from being always of bad 
Consequence, as naturally tending to 
beget in the Minds of the Vulgar, 
(who commonly judge of things with- 
out examining into particulars) Suspi- 
cions and Distrusts of their Sover- 
eigns, as if they dreamed of nothing 
but devouring their Subjects, and de- 
livering them up to the Discretion (or 
rather Fury) of their Souldiers. For 
the greater Moderation and Justice 
Princes may have, the less are they 
obliged to such as would inspire their 
People with matter for so dangerous 
Sentiments ; which are apt to produce 
the worse Effects. 

Besides is it not certain, that the 
Princes and States of Europe, cannot 
without a great deal of Displeasure 
see France, which makes so consider- 
able a figure in the World, and has so 
powerful an Influence, should now put 
herself in such a Condition as that no 
just Measures can be taken with her? 
For after so scandalous and publick a 
Violation of the Word of Three sue- 



178 The Complaints of the 

cessive Kings, and of the publick 
Faith, what credit can be ever given 
for the future, to her Promises, or 
Treaties? Nor will it be sufficient 
liere to say, that the publick Treaties 
will have force, so long at least as the 
Interest of France will require, for 
that will hereafter depend on the pri- 
-vate Interest, or perhaps capricious- 
ness, of a sort of heady strong Peo- 
ple, that are for allowing nothing 
cither to the Laws of Prudence or of 
Equity, but will manage all by main 
Force. 

And if they have had the Power 
to do within the Kingdom what they 
have lately put in Execution, what 
may we not expect that they will do 
as to Affairs abroad? If they have 
not spar d their own Countrymen, with 
whom they had daily Commerce, and 
ivho were greatly serviceable to them, 
can it be supposed they will spare 
such as are altogether Strangers? 
Will they have more Respect think 
you to Truces or Agreements but of 
yesterday, than to an Edict of an 



Protestants of France. lyg 

Hundred Years continuance, and that 
too the most august and solemn that 
ever was ; which yet they made no 
other use of than to amuse an inno- 
cent People, and to involve them the 
more securely in utter Desolation? 
It looks truly as if they had resolved 
to bring Matters to this pass on pur- 
pose, that their being no more Faith 
or Dependency to be had on the 
promises of France, all her Neigh- 
bours should thereby continually be 
upon their Guard against her ; and the 
more when she promises than when 
she threatens ; and in Peace than in 
War, so that there is no more Hopes 
of being at quiet with Respect to her, 
but what either the Security of Host- 
ages, or the Diminution of her Forces 
must give. This being so in Respect 
of all Princes and States in general, 
as well Catholick as Protestant, what 
may then the Protestant Princes and 
States in particular think, but that 
it is really the Design of France to 
ruin them all, and to make no stop 
till she has utterly devoured them ? 



l8o The Complaints of the 

Everybody knows, that the Protes- 
tant Princes and Powers understand 
their Interests well enough, to be able 
to discern them through the Clouds, 
and Mists wherewith these would 
cover them, and 'tis not doubted but 
they do indeed see, that this is a Be- 
ginning, or an Essay, which France 
expects shortly to give the last and 
finishing Stroak to. 

That Court has suiEfered itself to be 
possessed with a most gross Bigotry, 
and with a false Zeal of Catholicism; 
it is become the Genius that pleases ; 
each one is become a converter even 
to Fire and Sword : and there are not 
a few of the Courtiers perswaded that 
this shall be alone able to weigh down 
the Scale in their Favour, vain glory 
is no small Ingredient in this Design ; 
Policy adds also its Prospects and 
Misteries too, and as these prospects 
have no Bounds, so these Misteries 
want not their invisible Springs and 
surprising Ways, which they will joyn 
when they please, to the Power of 
Arms. They think the Season is 



Protestants of France. l8l 

ripe, and 'tis but daring to go on. The 
Easiness they found in making Con- 
quests and Conversions swells their 
Courage, and they talk already of 
nothing but a further Progress in so 
fair a Way. 'Tis however to be 
hoped that Protestant Princes, and 
States, will from hence draw their just 
Conclusions. 

As to the Catholick Princes and 
States they have too sagacious Judg- 
ments not to see how much they share 
also in this Affair. It will be made 
use of to break the good understand- 
ing which is betwixt them and the 
Protestant Powers by amusing those 
with the fair Pretext of the Catholick 
Religion, and cunningly inspiring 
these with Suspitions and Jealousies 
of a general Design against them, to 
swallow 'em. If the Catholick Prin- 
ces and States remove not these Sus- 
pitions, and if they suffer France still 
to aggrandize her self, by her pre- 
tended Zeal for the Catholick Faith, 
which at the Bottom is but a false 
Mask, one may without the Spirit of 



1 82 The Complaints of the 

Prophesy aforehand assure them that 
they are undone. 

It will signify but little to say, we 
are as good Cat ho licks as yourselves^ 
this will be no Security from his 
Army ; whosoever will not submit to 
his Yoke shall be an Heretick, nay 
worse than an Heretick ; for now the 
greatest Heresy is not to submit i 
Spain, Germany, and Italy it self, 
already know this in some measure. 

But will it not be thought a Para- 
dox, if to all that we have said we yet 
farther add, that even 
* The Fourth ^^it Pope himsclf,* and 

Reflexton. 7 7 -r* i r i 

the whole body oi the 
Roman Church, mns,i find themselves 
sensibly interress'd and injur'd in this 
Persecution. And yet we will say 
nothing herein, but what is evident 
Truth, and which the wisest of the 
Roman Catholicks, must needs agree 
to. For is not this the worst Char- 
acter that can be given of the Roman 
Clergy, to Represent them as an 
Order of Men, who not only can't 
endure anything that is not subject to 



Protestants of France. 183, 

them in a Religious, but also in a 
Civil Society, and as Men that are not 
content to anathematize all that dis- 
please them, but who design nothing 
so much as to exterminate 'em, not 
only to exterminate them but also 
forcibly to violate their Consciences, 
and cram their own Opinions down 
their Throats, and propagate their 
Way of Worship by the irresistible 
and never-failing Argument of Fire 
and Fagot ; lastly as an Order of Men 
who observe neither Faith nor Jus» 
tice ; who promise only that they may 
deceive, who for awhile curb their 
Fury only, that afterwards they may 
insult the more; that in Peace as well 
as in War, contrive only to overturn 
and destroy; who make Allyances 
only to surprize, and then finding 
themselves more powerful, deny those 
they have so surprised even the Lib« 
erty of escaping. These are the 
exact Features and Colours by which 
the Roman Clergy may be easily 
known, should we Judge of them by 
the Persecution in France; the like 
whereof was never seen to this Day. 



1 84 The Complaints of the 

The Egyptians and Assyrians once 
persecuted the Israelites, but forced 
them not to embrace the Worship of 
their Idols ; they contented them- 
selves with making them slaves, with- 
out doing Violence to their Con- 
sciences. The Heathens and the 
Jews persecuted the primitive Chris- 
tians, forced their consciences indeed, 
but they had never granted them 
an Edict, nor by persecuting them 
violated the publick Faith, nor hin- 
dred them to make their Escape by 
Flight. The Arrians cruelly perse- 
cuted the Orthodox, but besides that 
they went not so far, as to make the 
common sort of People sign formal 
Abjurations ; there was no Edict, or 
Concordat between the Two Com- 
munions. Innocent the III. by his 
Croisades persecuted the Waldenses 
and Albigenses, but neither had 
these People any Edict. Emmanuel 
King of Portugal furiously persecut- 
ed the Jews^ but he gave them leave 
to depart out of his Kingdom, and 
they too had no Edict. It was the 



Protestants of France. 185 

same with those Remains of the 
Moors, who had canton'd themselves 
in some parts of the Kingdom of 
Grenada; they were defeated in a 
War, and commanded to retire into 
the Country from whence their An- 
cestors came. 

In the last Century the Duke 
U Alba exercised dreadful Cruelties, 
upon the Protestants of the seven- 
teen Provinces, but he did not hinder 
them from flying, nor violated any 
Edict ; and when the worst came to 
the worst. Death was their release. 
The Inquisition is to this Day in 
Spain and Italy; but they are 
Countries in which no Religion, 
besides the Roman, was ever toler- 
ated by Edicts, and if the Inquisitors 
may be accused of Violence and 
Cruelty, they cannot however be con- 
victed of Perfidiousness. 

But in this last Persecution of 
France, there are Five things that 
strike the Mind with Horror, ist. 
they make the Consciences and Re- 
ligion of Men to depend soveraignly 
upon the Will of a mortal King, 2dly 



1 86 The Complaints of the 

they violate a Faith solemnly^sworn 
to, 3dly they force Men to be Hypo- 
crites and oblige them to be wicked, 
by seeming to embrace a Religion 
they abhor, 4thly they prohibit and 
prevent All Flight and Retiring out of 
the Kingdom, 5thly they do not inflict 
Death but preserve Life for no other 
purpose than to oppress it with longer 
and more dreadful Torments. If after 
this the Court of Rome with its 
Clergy, dispers'd all over Europe, 
will not disclaim so odious and crimi- 
nal a conduct, nay if they condemn it 
not it will be an indelible Stain to 
the Honour of their Religion. For 
not only Protestants, who are of a dif- 
ferent Communion, but also an infinite 
Number of their own Members, will 
be mightily scandalized thereat, nay 
even Turks, Jews, and Pagans will 
rise up in Judgment against them. 
They cannot be ignorant what Cen- 
sures have been made on what pass'd 
in the Council of Constance concern- 
ing John Huss and Jerom of Prague, 
whom they put to Death, notwith- 
standing the safe Conduct of the Em- 



Protestants of France. 187 

peror Sigismund. But there is some- 
thing greater here : There only Two- 
Men were concern'd, here more than 
Fifteen Hundred Thousand^ those 
they put to Death, and if they had 
done the same to these, they would 
have embraced their Death with Joy 
and Comfort. The Council thought 
its Authority in this greater than the 
Emperors, but here can be produced 
none greater than that which estab- 
lish'd our Edict. 

* We are not insen- 

• 11 f .1 1 • rr 1 *Refiitation of 

sible of the different the false sM/ts 

Methods the PerSeCU- and Pretences 

. , 1 . Ill of the Persectctors.. 

tors take to shelter 
themselves from public Censure, some 
take a speedy course, that is down- 
right to deny the Fact, and to per- 
swade the World, That Force and 
Violence had no share in the conver-^ 
sions ; but that they were soft, calm, 
and voluntary ; and that if there were 
some Dragoons at any time concern'd. 
therein, 'twas only because the Re- 
formed themselves desired 'em, that 
so they might have an handsom Pre- 
tence of changing their Religion. 



1 88 The Complaints of the 

Was their ever so much Impudence 
seen ! What will they not deny, who 
can thus flatly deny what was done 
in the Face of the Sun, and what a 
whole Kingdom from one End of it, 
to the other have seen, and still see to 
this Day ? For now in the Beginning 
of the Year 1686, While I am com- 
posing this sad Narrative, they con- 
tinue to exercise the very same Rage, 
that concluded the preceding Year; 
the same Dragoons both in Cities and 
Countries execute the same Fury 
against some miserable Remains of 
Protestants, who will not fall down 
and worship the Golden Image. 

They are used like Rebels in their 
Persons, in their Estates, in their 
Wives and in their Children ; and if 
there be any difference, 'tis in this 
that their Sufferings are still increas'd, 
yet if we will believe the Clergy ha- 
ranguing the King by the Mouth of 
the Bishop oiValence their Speaker, it 
is a Miracle of his Majesty's Reign 
that such infinite Numbers should be 
by him converted without using any 
constraint at all, and that from all 



Protestants of France. 189 

Parts, there should be such a Con- 
course of People joyfully flocking to 
re-unite themselves to the Catholick 
Church, All this^ saith he, is done 
without Violence, without arms, and 
not so much by the force of your 
Edicts, as by the Exemplariness of 
your Piety. And if we will believe 
moreover the greatest Part of the Ab- 
jurations which these poor opprest 
People, are forc'd to make with a 
Dagger at their Breast; they speak 
indeed the same Sense, that is, that 
they have done this of their own 
proper Motion, without being con- 
strained in any wise thereto. 

If we will believe Monsieur Maim- 
bourg in his Epistle Dedicatory to 
the King, which he has prefixed, be- 
fore his History of Pope Gregory 
lately Publish'd, there has been neither 
Arms nor Violence used for those 
Conversions, You are to believe, says 
he, that after having already van- 
quished all the Enemies of France 
by the invincible Power of your Arms, 
you shall alone eternally have the 
Glory and Happiness of having rooted 



IQO The Complaints of the 

out of the most Christian Kingdom, 
that Enemy of God, Heresy (as he 
calls it), without using against it, to 
compel the Protestants to return into 
the Bosom of the Church, other Arms, 
or Forces, than those of your most 
charitable Zeal for their Conversion, 
and the manifest Justice of your De- 
crees and Edicts, which have had all 
the Success as could be wish'd for 
or expected. And in his third Book 
after having said that Ethelred King 
of England did not compel by any 
kind of Violence his Subjects to em- 
brace the Christian Religion, having 
learned of his Divines that the Ser- 
vice rendred to Jesus Christ ought to 
be voluntary, but only kept his Fa- 
vours for such as should turn Christ- 
ians, without doing Injustice to others ; 
after this he adds these Words ; This 
is the Method Lewis the Great follows 
exactly at this time in order to convert 
the pretended Reformed, who have ho 
Cause of Complaint. For no Violence 
is off er'd to anyone, and if the King be 
graciously pleased to bestow on the new 
Converts, such Favours and Kindness 



Protestants of France. IQI 

as are not bestow'd upon others, and 
which he is not obliged to confer upon 
those who are obstinate in their Her- 
esy; yet no injustice is hereby done, 
since nothing of any Privilege is taken 
from them, but what they have usurped 
contrary to the intent of the Edicts ; 
and that he has a Right to Punish 
them, when they act contrary to his 
Ordinances. It is very likely that this 
Method so soft, so prudent, so effica- 
cious will at last have the same effect 
in France under Lewis the Great, to 
reconcile the Calvinists to the Church 
as it had under King Ethelred in Eng- 
land for the Conversion of his Subjects; 
who powerfully drawn by such means 
came dayly crowding to demand the 
holyBaptism,as we see our Protestants, 
begin now to come in Flocks to Mass. 
And 'tis upon the same Principles 
that Monsieur Varillas in his Ded- 
ication to the King of the Book 
just publish'd by him under the 
Title of the History of the Revolu- 
tions which have happen'd in Europe 
in Matters of Religion, does not scru- 
ple to speak in this manner; Your 



192 The Complaints of the 

Majesty in order to ruin Calvinism 
has only obliged the French that 
profess'd it, to the exact Observance of 
the Edict of Nantes ; by punishing the 
Contraventions with the Penalties con» 
tain'd therein; that alone was sufficient 
to reduce the Hereticks to so small a 
Number, that the Edict being now use- 
less there was reason to revoke it. 

Thus is the Credulity of the Pub- 
lick wretchedly impos'd on, the Seeds 
of Imposture are sown at Random, 
which are left to grow up, and matur- 
ate with time. Posterity who shall 
see these pieces of pretended Histor- 
ies, will be apt to believe them True. 
And making their Judgment from 
this surprizing account of the matter, 
they will certainly say. Behold here 
what has been said to the King him- 
self, who must not have open False- 
hoods presented to him ; here also 
are the proper Acts and Deeds of 
those very Persons who were convert- 
ed. Why shall not then Posterity be- 
lieve it ; seeing that even at present 
there are some Shameless enough, (or 



Protestants of France. 193 

to speak better, well enough Paid) 
to Publish it in foreign Countries; 
and that there are found likewise some 
credulous enough to believe it. 

And why should they not believe it, 
seeing it is asserted by a Bishop ; and 
that in the Name too of the Body of 
the Clergy, and by Two grave Authors 
besides? Must there be so much 
said to establish a probable Opinion '^. 
Posterity will not be bound to know 
who this Bishop of Valence was ; nor 
what sort of a Life he always led ; nor 
will they be under a necessity of 
knowing how many Fables Monsieur 
Maimbourg has been more than once 
convicted of; which he had embelish'd 
his Histories with, nor that he was a 
Person determinatelyResolv'd, though 
detected, never to acknowledge him- 
self in an Error, neither will they be 
oblig'd to know, that Monsieur Varil- 
las not finding his Account in telling 
the Truth, has in his old Days thought 
fit at last, to consecrate his Pen to this 
Service, induc'd to it by the Favors 
of the Archbishop of Paris, as may 



1 94 ^^^ Complaints of the 

be gather'd from the Preface of this 
his late Treatise, 

But to come to the Point, what 
likelihood is there that so great and 
considerable a Number of Persons, 
should without anything constraining 
them to it, chuse to Fly out of France, 
and leave behind them their Houses, 
their Lands of Inheritance, their Ef- 
fects, and several of them too their 
Wives and Children, only for to rove 
about the World, and lead a misera- 
ble Life out of meer Humour: Is there 
any likelihood that Persons of Quality 
of both Sexes, who enjoyed some 
Twelve, Fifteen, Twenty, or Thirty 
ThouSvand Livres/^r Annum, should 
abandon their Estates, and that not 
only for themselves but for their 
Successors too : Expose themselves 
to numberless Perils, and to the 
Inconveniences of long Journies ; 
and reduce themselves in a manner 
to Beggary ; which is a Condition the 
most unsupportable in the World 
to Persons of Quality, and all this 
without any Reason, Purely out of 
a Frolick and, for the sake of a Jest, 



Protestants of France. 195 

without any Occasion ? What like- 
lihood that about an Hundred and 
Fifty Thousand Persons who have 
already escap'd; some of them into 
Switzerland, others into Germany, 
some into E7igland, others into Hoi- 
. land, some into Swedeland, and others 
into Denmark, and some even into 
America, without having ever seen 
or known one another, should yet all 
agree to tell the same Lie, and to say 
v/ith one Voice, that the Protestants 
are cruelly persecuted in France, and 
that by unheard of Severities they are 
forc'd to change their Religion ; al- 
though there is no such Matter, is it 
likely in the last Place, that the Em- 
'bassadors and Envoys of foreign Prin- 
ces and Powers, should all of them 
Lie in concert to their Masters ; tell- 
ing them such things which had no 
Foundation of Truth ? 

But again, if in France the Protest- 
ants thus voluntarily, and without con- 
straint, change their Religion, and 
that the Dragoons are call'd in only 
as Friends, whence comes it that there 
is so strict and universal a Guard, on 



196 The Complaints of the 

the Frontiers, to hinder their with- 
drawing ? How is it that the Prisons 
are cram'd with those who endeavour- 
ing to make their Escape, were stopt 
by the Way ? Whence is it that those 
who have chang'd their Religion, are 
watched with so great care to hinder 
their Flight, even to the obliging them 
to Deposit good Sums of Money, to 
secure them from the Suspition of it? 
What an epidemical Distemper is 
there raging among his Majesty's 
Subjects, that should make them 
Fly thus without Reason or without 
Grounds ? and is not this a pleasant 
shift to say, that the Protestants have 
themselves call'd in the Dragoons to 
have a better pretence to change their 
Religion ? 

'Tis about Ten Years or more, since 
there was a Bank set up for Souls: 
Mr. Pelisson has been for a long time 
at Paris, the great Dealer in this in- 
famous Trade of purchasing Converts. 
These Conversions have of late been 
the only way of getting Applause, 
and into Preferments at Court, and in 



Protestants of France. igy 

a Word, a sure and effectual means of 
raising ones Fortune ; And yet they 
would fain make People think us such 
Fools, as that in stead of being convert- 
ed by these easie and advantageous 
Methods, we should rather choose the 
help of Dragoons, that is to have the 
Pleasure of being pillag'd at the best; 
at least let any one tell us, why, since 
these Conversions are all pretended 
to be Voluntary, upon the Peoples not 
being to go to Mass, they should have 
sent the Dragoons to visit them a 
Second Time, and use them with the 
same severity as before. 

This is indeed so gross and palpa- 
ble a lie that others who are more In- 
genuous have undertaken to defend 
these Violences, as if they were nat- 
urally from the genuine Spirit of the 
Catholick Church ; and for this Pur- 
pose, they have continually in their 
Mouth that Passage of the Gospel, 
Compellelntrare.com-p^X them to come 
in ; the Letter of St. Augustin to Vin- 
centius and the Persecution by the Or- 
thodox of A f rick against Xki^Donatists- 



igS The Complaints of the 

Were this a Place to dispute against 
those furious Theologists, 'twould not 
be hard to shew the Vanity of those 
Allegations, the Apostles knew at 
least as well as they, the Sence and 
Intent of their Master, neither wanted 
they Zeal for the Promotion of his 
Gospel. Did they therefore ever 
make use of Arms to augment the 
Number of the Faithful, or did their 
Master for that end give them any 
Temporal or Military power? Who 
knows not but in the Stile of Script- 
ure the Words Compellere and Cogere 
signifie a soft Violence of Exhorta- 
tion and Persuasion, as in the XIX of 
Genesis y where it is said that Lot com- 
pelled the Angels to come into his 
House, Compudit illos oppido pressed 
upon, V. 3. and i. Sam. XXVIII. 23. 
that Saul's Servants Compelled him 
to eat, Coegerunt eum.. And Luke 
XXIV. 29, that the Two Disciples 
going to Em^maus ; compelled Jesus 
or constrained him (Cogerunt ilium) 
to remain with them ; and Acts XVI. 
15. that Lydia compelled (constrdimtd) 



Protestants of France. igg 

St. Paul and his Company (Coegitnos) 
to come into her House. As for St. 
Augustin s Letter, it must be con- 
fess'd that nothing can better shew 
us the Character of this sort of Per- 
sons than this Allegation of theirs. 
They cannot be Ignorant how that 
the general Sentiment of the Fathers 
is, that Conscience is never to be 
forced, nor Religion to be established 
by Violence. They know that this is 
the general Voice of the Primitive 
Church, insomuch that St. Martin cut 
off from his Communion the Bishops 
that persecuted the Priscilianists. 
And yet these Men would fain force 
upon us for a Rule of Christian Prac- 
tice a Letter of one who had been 
exasperated, and who had suffer'd 
himself to be misled by some other 
turbulent Bishops ; whose Doctrine 
and Reputation by this one single 
Act, have been stain'd with an irre- 
parable Blemish. They are not a whit 
more successful in what they allege, 
concerning the Persecution of the 
Donatists by the Orthodox. For to 
omit that the Orthodox never forced 



^00 The Complaints of the 

the Donatists, either to embrace 
Doctrines, or Worship that they had 
an abhorence for, or to abjure those 
they profess'd, they only constrained 
them to submit outwardly to a per- 
sonal Judgment, given by Lawful 
Judges on a Matter of Fact; which 
was whether Cecilian was a Prevari- 
cator, or not. To omit all this, I say, 
it is certain that that Persecution 
was visibly foUow'd with Exemplary 
Chastisements from the Divine Jus- 
tice upon the Persecutors ; who were 
soon after by the Arrians treated with 
much more Cruelty than the Dona- 
tists had been by them, thus God per- 
mitted, that as they had abus'd the 
Weakness of Honorius, to make him 
put in Execution what Constantine the 
Great would never Consent to, so the 
Arrian Bishops should in like manner 
abuse the Power of the Kings of the 
Vendals to oppress the flourishing 
Churches of Africa. But what need 
of all this dispute, since all they ad- 
vance is altogether besides the Ques- 
tion ? Let them but shew us one only 



Protestants of France. 2oi 

Passage, or Example, from whence it 
can be inferr'd that public Faith given 
to a Society by Solemn Edicts and 
Treaties (such as were in the Edict of 
Nantes) might be violated, had there 
ever been an Agreement betwixt the 
Jews and the Heathens^ with the 
Apostles, and this solemnly consented 
to and ratified, when our blessed 
Saviour said Compelle Intrare Luke 
XIV. V. 23. compel them to come in ; 
has St. Augustin ever said, that we 
ought to deal perfidiously with those 
whom we esteem Hereticks, when we 
have promis'd to Live with them like 
Brethren, and fellow Citizens } Had 
the Donatists any Edicts to shelter 
them from the insults of the Ortho- 
dox .? Should we yield to this detest- 
able Divinity, what would become of 
all of us ? For in short the Papists 
are as much Hereticks to the Protest- 
ants as the Protestants are to the Pa- 
pists ; yet in most parts of Europe, 
they live together in Peace, on the 
Faith of Alliances, Treaties and Prom- 
ises, and trading together, are at full 



202 The Complaints of the 

Liberty to follow the Dictates of their 
own Consciences. But these publick 
Priests as much as in them lies would 
quickly bring all things into confusion, 
and a State of War. They set the 
Catholicks against the Protestants^ 
teaching them, that their Religion 
obliges them to betray and surprise 
the Protestants, when ever they can 
do it safely and to treat them with 
Fire and Faggot, if they will not 
change their religion. They set the 
Protestants against the Catholics ; for 
what Peace and Society can there be 
with People, who not only make no 
Conscience to break their Faith, but 
on the contrary think themselves 
obliged in Conscience to break it, as 
often as they find Occasion, such are 
the natural Consequences of the per- 
nicious Doctrine of these Converters, 
with their compelle intrare and the 
letter of St. Augustin, 

The worst on it is, these are not 
only the Discourses or Writings of 
some giddy brained Authors, whose 
Sphere of Activity commonly extends 



Protestants of France. ^03 

no further than their Study: They 
are real Deeds and notorious Facts, 
'tis a great King whom they have 
abused ; powerful Ministers into 
whose Minds they have instilFd those 
Maxims, and who put 'em in practice, 
Armies of Dragoons, who have de- 
populated a whole Kingdom, and 
piunder'd above Five Hundred Thou- 
sand Families. Do we live in an Age 
wherein Religion is made to consist 
in having no Fear of God, or must 
we imagine that the Fear of God, con- 
sists in that furious Zeal, which in- 
spires such sorts of Violences t Can 
any think these Excesses are pleasing 
to Christ, whom we both profess to 
own as the Author of our Faith, and 
that he can ever be willing to have 
his Religion propagated, by such 
treacherous and wicked Devices ? He 
has said indeed, that he will not suffer 
the Gates of Hell to prevail against 
his Church ; but he has no where said, 
he will open Hell Gates for the prop- 
agating of it. Now if ever anything 
in the World may be said to carry 



204 ^'^^ Complaints of 
the Air of the Gates of Hell, cer- 
tainly it must be this Persecution 
in France, 

Whatever Antipathy there may be 
between the See of Rome, and us, we 
cannot believe the present Pope In- 
nocent XII. to have had any hand 
therein, or that the Storm has fain on 
us from that Quarter. We know him 
to be a mild Prince, and his Temper 
disposed to more moderate Councils, 
than those of his Predecessors. More- 
over, we know the Clergy of France Ao 
not always consult him in what they 
set about, and what has been done by 
them against Rome, and the little def- 
erence pay'd to its Authority has been 
frequently made an Argument to in- 
duce us, to submit ourselves to the 
King's Will in these other matters. 
So that we hope the Pope himself 
considering us still as Men, and as 
Christians, will pity us, and blame 
the Methods that have been used 
against us, had he no other Reason 
than the mere interest of his own 
Religion. 



Protestants of France. 205 

However, 'tis certain the Protest- 
ants of France are the fittest objects 
of Publick Compassion, the World 
ever knew. Some of them Sigh and 
Lament under an hard and barbarous 
Slavery, which they would willingly 
exchange for Irons in Algiers or Tur- 
key, for there they would not be forced 
to turn Mahometants^ and might still 
entertain some hopes of Liberty by 
the way of Ransom. Other of them 
are wand'ring about in Foreign Coun- 
tries, stript of their Estates, separated 
(in all probability for ever) from their 
Parents, Relations and Friends whom 
they have left in the most doleful con- 
dition imaginable, Husbands have left 
their Wives, and Wives, their Hus- 
bands, Fathers their Children, and 
Children their Fathers. We have 
seen as in a moment our Fortunes, 
our Establishments, our Inheritances, 
our Houses, our Commerce, our hopes 
drop away; And of all the good things 
of this earthly State, we have scarce 
any thing left us, but our miserable 
Lives, and they too supported by the 
Charity of our Christian Brethren. 



2o6 The Complaints of the 

Yet amongst all these Afflictions 
we have this Comfort still, that we 
truly suffer for a good Conscience, 
and the Cause of God, and can defy 
even the malice of our Persecutors, 
to charge us with any the least Mis- 
demeanour that could have merited 
this barbarous usage ; We have served 
our King and Country with the ut- 
most Zeal and Fidelity; We have 
constantly submitted ourselves to the 
Laws, and to the Magistrates ; We 
have been always ready to bear our 
Part of the Publick Burthens ; And 
as for our Country Men, they have no 
reason to complain of us. We have 
for Twenty Years together suffered 
with an Exemplary Patience the 
most furious and Dreadful Storms, 
and when in the Vivares and Cevennes, 
some thought themselves bound in 
Conscience to Preach on the Ruines 
of their Churches, unjustly and illeg- 
ally demolisht ; their small number, 
which were but a handful only served 
to stir up more the Obedience and 
Resignation of the whole Body. 



Protestants of France. 207 

And in these last Storms we have 
been like Sheep, Innocent and with- 
out defence. We comfort our selves 
then in the Justice of our Cause, 
and in our peaceable Deportment 
under it. 

But we comfort our selves likewise 
in the Christian Compassion shewed 
us by Foreign Princes, and States, 
who have opened their Arms and 
received us into their Dominions, 
succour'd, relieved, and comfort'd us ; 
And the People who live under their 
Government, have seconded these 
their kind Offices. And we have 
found in all of them, not only new 
Masters and new Friends, but the 
real Tenderness of Fathers and Breth- 
ren. And as these Bowels of Com- 
miseration have been as Balm to our 
Wounds ; So we hope never to lose 
the Remembrance thereof, and trust, 
that neither we nor our Children 
after us, shall ever do any thing by 
God's Grace, to render us unworthy 
of this their Protection. 

The only affliction for which we 



2o8 The Complaints of the 

cannot be comforted is, to see our Re- 
ligion oppressed in the Kingdom of 
France ; So many Churches, wherein 
God was daily served according to 
the simplicity of the Gospel, demol- 
ished, so many Flocks dispers'd, so 
many poor Consciences Sighing and 
Groaning under their Bondage; so 
many Children depriv'd of the Edu- 
cation they were to receive from their 
Parents. But we hope that at length, 
the same God who heard heretofore 
the Sighs of his People under the 
Bondage of Egypt ^ will also hear at 
this time the Cries of his Faithful 
Servants. We call not for Fire from 
Heaven, we only pray, that God would 
touch the Hearts of our Persecutors, 
that they may repent, and be saved 
together with us ; We entreat such a 
Deliverance, as he in his Wisdom 
shall think fitting. And as our 
Prayers are in the Order of his Prov- 
idence; We have grounds to hope 
that he will hear them and that he 
will Establish us again in our first 
Estate. 



Protestants of France. 209 

But in the mean while, and till it 
shall please God in his mercy to bring 
that happy Event to pass, least we 
should be wanting to the Justice of 
our Cause, we desire that this Account 
which contains our Just Complaints^ 
may serve for a Protestation before 
Heaven and Earth against all the 
violences we have suffer'd in the 
Kingdom of France. Against all the 
Arrests, Declarations, Edicts, Regu- 
lations, and all other Ordinances of 
what nature soever, which our Ene- 
mys have caused to be Published to 
the prejudice of the Edict of Nantes ; 
Against all sort of Acts, Signatures, 
or Verbal Declarations expressing an 
Abjuration of our, and the Profession 
of the Romish Religion, which Fear, 
Torture, and a Superior Power have 
extorted from us or from our Breth- 
ren; Against the Plunder that has 
been already or shall hereafter be 
committed of our Goods, Houses, 
Effects, Debts, Trusts, Rents, Lands, 
Inheritances and Revenues, Common 
or Private, either by way of Confisca- 



210 The Complaints of the 

tion, or by any other way whatsoever 
as Unjust, Treacherous, and Violent, 
committed only by a Superior Power, 
in full Peace, contrary both to Reason 
and the Laws of Nature, and the 
Rights of all Society, and injurious 
to all Mankind ; But especially we 
Protest against the Edict of the i8th 
of October 1685, containing the Revo- 
cation of the Edict of Nantes, as a 
manifest Abuse of the King's Justice, 
Authority and Royal Power, since the 
Edict of Nantes was in it self inviola- 
ble and irrevocable, above the reach 
of any Human Power, design'd for a 
standing Agreement and Concordat 
between the Roman Catholicks, and us, 
and a fundamental Law of the Realm, 
which no Authority on Earth has Pow- 
er to Infringe, or Annul. We protest 
likewise against all the Consequences 
that may follow such a Revocation, 
against the Extinction of the Exer- 
cise of our Religion throughout the 
whole Kingdom of France, against all 
the Ignominies and Cruelties com- 
mitted upon dead Bodies, by depriv- 



Protestants of France. 211 

ing them of Christian Burial, and ex- 
posing them in the Field to be De- 
voured by Ravenous Beasts, or drag- 
ging them ignominiously through the 
Streets upon Hurdles ; against the 
taking away Children by force, and 
the Orders given to Fathers and 
Mothers to Cause them to be Bap- 
tized and Educated hy Romish Priests. 
But above all, we Protest against that 
impious and abominable Position, 
which is now adays made the General 
Rule in France, by which Religion is 
made to depend on the Pleasure and 
Despotick Power of a Mortal Prince, 
and Perseverance in the Faith branded 
with the Names of Rebellion and 
Treason, which is to make of a Man 
a God, and tends to the introduc- 
ing and authorizing of Atheism 
and Idolatry. We Protest moreover 
against all manner of violent and 
inhumane detaining of our Brethren 
in France, whether in Prisons, Gal- 
lies, Monasteries, or any other Con- 
finements, to hinder them from 
leaving the Kingdom, and going to 



212 Complai7tts of Protestants. 

seek in Foreign Countries that Liberty 
of Conscience which they cannot en- 
joy in their own ; which is the utmost 
pitch of Brutish Cruelty and HelHsh 
Iniquity. 

Lastly we Protest against whatso- 
ever we may, of Right Protest against, 
and declare that such is our meaning, 
that things not expressed be compre- 
hended under those that are here ex- 
pressed. We most humbly suppli- 
cate all Kings, Princes, Soveraign 
Lords, States and Nations, and gen- 
erally all Persons of what Condition 
soever to be graciously pleased, that 
these our lawful and indispensable 
Protestations, which in the simplicity 
and sincerity of our Hearts we are 
obliged to make, and do make accord- 
ingly, may serve before God, and be- 
fore them, as a standing Testimony 
for us and our Posterity, for the Pres- 
ervation of our Rights, and for the 
Discharge of our Consciences. 

FINIS. 






v 






'*^:. 



^^ 



> . >- f" 



^^ 



'^. 






'^r'/^ V^ 



'> &^ 












c^^ 



.0 0^ 



^^^^i^ 



.-is- 






'J-'- ,\V 



<A^ ^^ 



'>- 



